Neji Gaiden
by HighQueen
Summary: Inspired by recent omake - if Neji wants a gaiden, Neji will get a gaiden! This story chronicles Neji's life with his team starting from their graduation from the Academy. Follows canon with extra details. Nejiten.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N - Inspired by the recent omake in Naruto Shippuuden, where Neji grumbles about not having enough screen-time and says he wants a one-hour special about him, called 'Neji Gaiden'._

_Well, if Neji-kun wants one, Neji-kun will certainly get one =)_

_So here I give you part 1 of Neji Gaiden – that is, Neji's story. It follows the storyline of our darling Hyuuga Neji-kun from his days at the academy... I've tried to keep this as in character as possible. So the romance will be slow. This entire story shouldn't be more than five chapters. Please tell me what you think and review!_

_Disclaimer – If I owned Naruto, then NejiTen would SO be canon... but I don't... _

**Neji Gaiden – Part 1**

– X –

"Alright, class," the brown-haired man announced, "I'm going to be reading out your genin teams now!"

A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd of rambunctious children, before they fell silent, gazing at their sensei with wide-eyes, in rapt attention. They had been waiting for this moment for hours, and it filled them with anxiety, apprehension, trepidation...

Who would be paired with whom? Who'd get the coolest sensei? Who would have the misfortune of getting the dead-last, miserable flunker on their team? Who'd get the toppers?

For many starry-eyed girls, this was actually more of a matter of who would get the years Number One Rookie, the handsome and stoic Neji Hyuuga on their genin squad. They gazed unabashedly at the eleven year old, white-eyed prodigy, who was slouched alone in a corner, his face as unreadable as always. His arms were crossed and he stared monotonously at the desk in front of him, treating their simpering glances and giggles with his usual frigid indifference.

Of course, Neji Hyuuga never spoke to them. He'd never spoken to anyone really, preferring to sit by himself and stalk off somewhere during breaks, probably to train. He only spoke when civil necessity demanded it, and even that was a rare occasion. He had the top grades though, and his excellence in ninjutsu as well as his calm demeanour and good looks (especially for a prepubescent academy-goer) garnered him quite a lot of unwanted admiration.

Neji couldn't care less, as he continued to stare relentlessly at the polished wood in front of him. He personally preferred working solo, and harboured a slight aversion towards the idea of a three-man squad; they'd probably just hamper his progress. He didn't particularly care who he got teamed with either. It was a matter of fate, really, and as long as he wasn't stuck with one of those ludicrous fangirls, it really didn't matter to him.

Neji had surmised though, that since he was Top Shinobi of the year, he'd probably get the Top Kunoichi on his team; it was an obvious pattern followed every year. That meant he'd have the bun-haired girl, the one with the disturbing fascination for weapons with him... Tenten. Though Neji didn't really care about Tenten either way, he'd be slightly relieved if he got her; she was one of the scarce girls who didn't dote after him like he was some kind of an adorable puppy, and though she was, along with the rest of his pathetic class, was far below _his _calibre, she'd be better than any of the other so-called 'kunoichi'.

Though Neji, harbouring the same chauvinistic outlook as his patriarchal clan, would have preferred not having any kunoichi at all; after all, his rather derogatory impression of a kunoichi was that whimpering, good-for-nothing mass of flesh also known as Hinata Hyuuga, whom he abhorred whole-heartedly.

The downside to being Number One Rookie, Neji realized, also meant that he'd get the student with the lowest grades. In this case, it was Rock Lee, a glossy-haired, overly enthusiastic boy, who in Neji's opinion was an abysmal failure. He couldn't even do ninjutsu or genjutsu! There was something wrong with the development of his chakra coils, and in Neji's opinion, he was _destined _to be a failure. It was stupid of him to fight it, really, since it was all pre-decided. Neji pressed his lips together, in slight annoyance; if his predictions about the rather blatant formation of teams over the years proved correct, he'd be stuck with a failure and a weapon-obsessed girl. Not the worst team he could ask for, but then again, he didn't want a team in the first place.

– X –

"Team Nine," Iruka announced, "Will consist of Neji Hyuuga..."

There was a series of gasps at this, as the unpicked kunoichi straightened up, casting their glances towards the prodigy, hoping that they'd be lucky enough to be on precious _Neji-kun's _team.

The boy in question said nothing, his expression identical to what it had been before.

"Tenten," Iruka continued, despite the lachrymose wails and moans of the heartbroken girls, who soon redirected their melancholy into fury, glaring with utmost antipathy at Tenten, the little bun-haired wretch who had stolen _their _Neji.

Tenten herself did nothing, ignoring the antagonistic looks she was receiving, and continued to twirl a gleaming kunai idly around her index finger. Like Neji, she'd suspected that she'd be paired with him, since she was Top Kunoichi.

"And Rock Lee!" Iruka finished, and Lee immediately jumped up, round eyes shining, and punched the air enthusiastically.

"Yosh!" he cried, looking around the room and beaming at his new teammates. He hadn't really interacted with either one of them much, but he was thrilled at the prospect of getting to do so in the future.

Tenten gave him a small smile, looking slightly taken aback, and Neji continued to stare ahead resolutely; his only response to Lee's outburst was a barely discernable tightening of his already rigidly set jaw.

"Lee, sit back down," Iruka scolded exasperatedly, as he continued with his list.

– X –

Neji walked slowly towards the tower where they'd been directed by Iruka to meet their sensei after lunch. He'd slipped into the Hyuuga compound, grabbed some food, and then quickly escaped before his damned uncle Hiashi could find him. He'd bumped into his younger cousin Hinata on the way. She'd stuttered a 'C-congratulations, N-Neji-nii-san' at him, probably for being assigned to his new genin team, but he'd ignored this, instead shooting the poor girl a chakra-curdling glare, before quickly leaving.

Neji climbed up the stairs, wondering slightly who he'd get as his genin instructor. He knew that personally, the Hyuugas were in favour of Kakashi Hatake, the son of the White Fang, though personally he didn't give a damn. Kakashi was supposed to be good, though apparently he'd refused to take a genin team that year. Neji had heard some of the Hyuuga elders whispering about it; Kakashi was waiting a year, and had his eyes on his sensei's kid, the son of the legendary Yellow Flash.

Neji didn't even know the Fourth Hokage had a son, and though he'd been curious for a moment as to _who _the child was, he soon discarded the thought. It didn't matter to him anyway.

Though Neji supposed Kakashi _would _be beneficial as a Jounin sensei due to his incredible talent, if the Hyuuga wanted him (probably not for _him _though, probably for their precious Hinata) he'd rather _not _have someone they favoured.

Neji broke out of his reverie as he reached the top, a balcony that jutted out, overlooking the academy grounds. There were cushioned seats inside the circumference of the balcony, and Tenten, one of his new teammates was seated on one.

Her back was to him, as she leaned over the balcony, probably looking for signs of their sensei, who was _late. _

She seemed to sense his presence though, and whirled around, kunai in hand. She relaxed when she noticed it was him, smiling slightly.

"Um... hi, Neji..." she said, rather awkwardly, as she fidgeted with the weapon in her fingers. "So you're – one of my teammates – now..."

She was stating the obvious, and her rather pathetic attempt at conversation didn't escape Neji's notice. He'd never really spoken to her before, except on the rare occasions that they were paired together for class demonstrations. Even then, he'd never really spoken.

However, considering she _was _his new teammate, and she was being polite and not overly friendly, he shrugged and decided he would deem her with a response.

"...yeah," he muttered, settling down on the couch, a good meter away from Tenten.

He didn't dislike her, but Neji needed his rather large personal space.

Tenten didn't seem fazed though, and she spoke again, still playing with the kunai.

"I – wonder who our new sensei is... don't you?"

"Hn."

She fell silent after that, as did he. They had never spoken before, and neither of them knew what to say to each other.

– X –

"YOSH! Here – at – last!"

A loud voice interrupted Neji and Tenten from their respective activities of attempted meditation and daydreaming-while-juggling-three-kunai, which they had engaged in during their wait.

They turned towards the latest arrival, a sweating, slightly breathless Rock Lee, who proceeded to plop himself down on the space between Neji and Tenten.

Neji, almost instinctively, shifted slightly away. Lee didn't seem to notice, as he caught his breath.

"Sorry, I was – taking laps! Completely – forgot! Where's – our – sensei?" Lee panted, wiping his hands on his cotton robe.

"He hasn't come yet," Tenten replied, "We've been waiting for –"

"AHA! SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING, OH YOUTHFUL NEW STUDENTS OF MINE!"

Neji, Tenten and Lee all visibly flinched at this sudden, deafening introduction, as a muscular young man clad in green spandex made his appearance. He had shining black bowl-cut hair, bushy eyebrows, tan skin, and was currently sporting a dazzling grin, which made Neji's eyes hurt from its sheer incandescence.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the man said dramatically, flourishing his arms, "I am MAITO GAI, number shinobi and Taijutsu master! And from today onwards, I'm going to be your JOUNIN SENSEI!"

He finished this proclamation with a pose, puffing his (thankfully muscular) chest out, shooting a thumbs up at the slightly astonished genin.

They took a few seconds to recover, and Tenten hastily arranged her shocked features into a smile. Neji clenched his fist, gritted his teeth, white eyes narrow – of all possible people, he just had to get _this freak show _as his sensei.

Lee on the other hand, looked positively thrilled, a flash of recognition crossing his eyes, until he blurted out excitedly, "Gai-sensei! It's you!"

– X –

"So," Gai boomed, a few minutes later as he surveyed his new team. "I want each of you to tell me your likes, dislikes, ambitions, goals for the future," he said, looking expectantly at Neji, the first genin seated to his left.

Tenten and Lee turned to Neji as well.

"I'd rather not say," Neji said dismissively, turning to the side. His tone was hard, laced with tones of superiority and condescension.

Contrary to how he may have presented himself, Neji wasn't really _trying _to be rude. It's just that most of his ambitions revolved around his clan and surpassing that blasphemous _Main House _and he really wasn't ready to spill out his woes and bitter desires to his newly formed team.

If Gai wanted to reprimand him, he couldn't, for at that moment, Lee's hand had shot up like a bolt of lightning, causing poor Tenten to jerk her head away so that she wasn't hit.

"Sensei!" Lee shouted, nearly bubbling with his poorly-constrained excitement.

Gai nodded at him, and Lee leapt to his feet, arm still raised.

"I want to be a splendid ninja! Even if I can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, I want to prove that I can be a great shinobi! That is everything to me!" Lee recited fervently, and Gai looked impressed.

Neji, on the other hand, was smirking slightly, his aristocratic features set into an expression of utmost superiority. He let out a disbelieving cough, and Lee spun to face him, pouncing on this immediately.

"You!" Lee cried, pointing an accusatory finger at Neji, "What's so funny?"

The scorn was evident in Neji's voice when he spoke.

"If you can't use genjutsu or ninjutsu, then at that point, you're not a ninja, are you?" Neji scoffed, his words painfully blunt. "What does that make you?"

"WHAT?" Lee screeched, eyes bugging out, "I CAN be a ninja, even if with just taijutsu! I will prove it!"

"The only reason they let you pass out of the academy wasn't because you were special," Neji continued relentlessly, "It's because they felt _sorry _for you."

Lee flinched, and even Tenten looked taken aback by his harsh words.

Lee stared at Neji before a moment, before he looked down, his shoulders drooping.

"No, Lee!" Gai suddenly spoke, breaking the tense atmosphere, "I can see the fire of youth burning within you! If you work hard enough, you will achieve your dream!"

Lee brightened immediately, and Neji rolled his eyes.

He didn't understand the point of giving Lee false hopes, when it was obvious that he would be a failure. He was fated to be one, after all, at least in Neji's opinion.

Gai then moved onto Tenten, who spoke, a little timidly at first

"I – want to be a skilled kunoichi like – Tsunade-sama," she admitted, her voice soon growing confident, "And I want to prove that females can be just as strong as males on the battlefield! That's my goal!"

"A noble quest indeed," Gai agreed, nodding his head approvingly. "Well then, it's getting late. I'll see you three at training field number twenty-four tomorrow morning, six-o-clock sharp! Our training begins then!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee saluted, and Tenten nodded, as Gai struck another flamboyant pose before leaving.

The three genin sat in silence for a few moments, before Neji stood up, and left without a backward glance to Lee and Tenten.

– X –

The morning sky was a dull blue, tinged with orange as the sun began to rise, its rays peeking over the Hokage mountain and casting the noble faces chiselled into the rock into the early daylight. Neji leapt through the trees, deftly landing on the damp grass, at precisely two minutes before six.

Lee was already there, and was doing push-ups, sweat pouring in torrents from his flushed face.

"Hello, Neji!" Lee called, though Neji didn't bother to acknowledge him as he surveyed the place that would become their new training ground.

It was amidst a forest, quite far from the bustle of the village, and relatively peaceful as well. They were currently in a large clearing, amidst the firs, and Neji chose to sit down under the shade of one of these trees and close his eyes, meditating.

A few moments later he could detect another chakra presence, and soft footfalls on the dew-studded grass; Tenten had arrived as well, and from the abrasive clinking sound that filled the air, Neji assumed she'd drawn out her weapons, as usual.

"Forty-seven! Forty-eight! Forty-nine!" Lee was grunting, and Neji cracked open a white eye, scanning over his teammates.

Lee was assiduously continuing his push-ups, and Tenten was juggling a pair of shuriken. It was a dangerous task, and required utmost delicacy and precision – the girl could easily lacerate her fingers off with the weapon. But she managed it easily, her eyebrows scrunched together in concentration, and Neji observed her for a while before closing his eyes again. That girl had some kind of an inexplicable fascination with weaponry – hopefully, it would prove to be useful to the team in battle.

At exactly six-o-clock, Gai announced his arrival, greeting his new genin with yet another pose and refulgent grin. Neji wondered if that was going to become a habit of his, and found it rather irritating, not to mention inappropriately puerile.

"Right," Gai declared, his face growing serious. "I have a little – test for you three.

Neji narrowed his eyes, Tenten pocketed her weapons with a flash, and Lee rolled to his feet, perking up.

"What kind of test, sensei?" he asked excitedly, barely fatigued by his work-out.

"Well, let's just say... if you succeed, you pass! If you don't, I'm sending the whole lot of you back to the academy!" Gai's tone was menacing, and Neji wondered whether he should take the man seriously.

After all, he grinned like a moron and wore hideous, _green _spandex, and displayed the most meretricious poses.

"But – haven't we already passed out of the academy?" Tenten asked the very question that Neji had wanted to but didn't. She sounded bemused.

"You have," Gai agreed, "But that doesn't mean all ten teams who we graduated become shinobi! In fact, only those with the skills required will make it to that level. It's a dangerous profession, you know, and the academy isn't like the real world!"

"...oh," was all Tenten said, and Lee was beaming.

"I cannot _wait _to show you my skills, sensei! I will make you proud!" he promised.

Neji just smirked, feeling confident in his abilities.

He was the _Number One Rookie, _and a _Hyuuga _at that. There was no way this clown was sending _him _back to the academy.

"I have hidden nine flags in this forest, within a one kilometre radius," Gai told his team. "There are three for each of you – green for Lee, blue for Neji and red for Tenten. You must get your three flags and come back here with all of them intact."

"... that's all?" Tenten asked, narrowing her eyes. It seemed a bit too basic.

"No, of course not," Gai said. "You can only get your _own _flags. If you get one of your teammates' you're automatically disqualified. You also have a time limit of – thirty minutes."

Despite the rather tight time limit, it certainly wasn't an impossible task. Neji reasoned he could finish well within thirty minutes, possibly even twenty. Though he supposed it would be harder for Lee and Tenten, considering they'd waste most of their time _looking _for the flags, a problem that he wouldn't face.

"One more thing... if any _one _of you fails to come within the allotted time limit with all your flags, all _three _of you fail."

"Wait - what?" Tenten sputtered, and even Neji rose up in indignation.

Why should _he _suffer if his teammates were incompetent? It made no sense.

"Your time starts now," Gai said, before swiftly disappearing with a puff of smoke.

Without further ado, Neji made a few hand seals.

"Byakugan!" he called, activating his dojutsu, and veins pulsed around his pearly eyes.

Lee looked slightly awed.

Neji quickly scanned the surrounding area with his all-seeing eyes, noting the location of all nine flags. He then crouched down, meaning to leap off into the trees, but Tenten called out to him, stopping him.

"Neji – could you – tell us where our flags are as well?" she asked.

Neji was initially surprised she knew the extent of his powers; but then again, they'd studied dojutsu at the academy, and she's wasn't Top Kunoichi for nothing.

He intended to rebuke her request, still appalled that she'd had the nerve to even ask him, but Tenten, apparently reading his line of thought, spoke again before he could say anything.

"We have to do this as a team, you know. I'm pretty sure that's Gai-sensei's motive. Even if you do get all the flags well in advance, if Lee and I don't in time, we all still fail," she pointed out. "And they're pretty spread out; it won't be easy looking for them. At least for us."

Neji considered this for a moment, before realizing she was correct. He ground his teeth together, before answering her.

"Four hundred meters, three o clock. Eight hundred meters, seven o clock. Fifty meters, two o clock," he said curtly, and Tenten nodded at him.

"Thanks. And Lee?" she pressed.

"Three hundred meters, twelve o clock. Nine hundred meters, nine o clock. Two hundred meters, six o clock," Neji replied, before disappearing into the trees.

– X –

Neji reached his first flag in less than two minutes. With his Byakugan, he noticed that Tenten had reached hers as well. Lee was moving through the forest at an inhuman speed, aiming for the furthest flag first, instead of Neji and Tenten who both headed for the closest one.

The blue piece of cloth was nestled amongst the branches of a rather tall tree. However, what caught Neji's attention was the thin, barely discernable wire of chakra extending from the flag, and twisted around one of the higher, gnarled tree branches.

_A trap, _Neji realized, smirking slightly.

He wasn't foolish enough to fall for that kind of inferior trick, though a muffled yell from another part of the forest told him that Tenten had.

Neji walked forwards calmly, assessing the trap, before sending out a few chakra threads. They intertwined themselves around the wire, not quite touching it enough to activate it, and Neji sent a flow of chakra through the threads.

Thanks to his Byakugan and Hyuuga training, he had relatively advanced chakra control, even for a newly-promoted genin.

His chakra cancelled out that in the wire, rendering the trap useless, and Neji swiftly leapt onto the tree, grabbing his first flag and heading towards the second.

He scanned the area again with his Byakugan. Tenten was moving, in his direction. She seemed to have freed herself from the trap, and was now running towards her second flag too.

Lee, on the other hand, was stationary, and didn't seem to be making any progress.

Neji cursed mentally.

After retrieving his own two flags, he'd probably have to help the moron. Unless Tenten reached him first.

– X –

Neji was intercepted by Tenten on his way to his second flag, as their paths crossed.

He noticed that she looked a bit ruffled, and there were a few minor scratched on her arms. She wasn't badly injured though; yet Neji had escaped completely unscathed.

The trap, (which Neji deduced consisted of chakra wires wrapping themselves around their victim) had obviously done that to her, though she'd managed to procure her flag, and a red piece of cloth now poked out of the cloth weapon pouch fastened at her hip.

"Neji," Tenten greeted, leaping down from the tree branch.

"Trap got you?" he couldn't help but ask, feeling slightly smug.

"Yeah, I had to hack it away with my kunai," she said. "How's Lee doing?"

"He's – stuck," Neji replied, unable to keep the derision out of his voice.

"Well he can't do ninjutsu! What'd you expect?" Tenten asked, though her tone was more matter-of-fact than denigrating.

"We'll have to – help him," Neji told her grudgingly, indicating that he fully expected _her _to do this task.

"You're right. I think we should stick together though, now," she said, ignoring the way he stiffened at this. "I don't know what kinds of traps there are, and how many more. Just in case something happens... after all, if you're heading the same way I am, we can just pick up our flags, and then rescue Lee."

"It will waste more time if we don't split up," Neji said immediately.

"It'll waste much more time if one of us get caught alone in a trap," she retorted.

He gave her a look, a look which clearly stated that '_I, the great Neji Hyuuga do not get caught in traps', _but Tenten ignored this as well, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Come on, Neji! I know you're good and all, but – even you could get tricked! And Lee and I certainly can't notice the traps, since we don't have eyes like yours!" she protested.

Neji looked slightly affronted at the first part, but then sighed, nodding his head.

"Let's go," he said, jumping up without waiting to see if she was even following him.

A few minutes later, they reached Tenten's second flag. It was on the opposite side of the rushing waters of a rather deep, wide river, fluttering merrily in the breeze, a burst of red amidst all the greenery.

Tenten surveyed it for a moment, before pulling out a kunai and some razor wire.

Neji watched her, slightly interested to see what she'd do. She didn't have the chakra control for water-walking yet, and the river was too wide to be leapt over.

"I don't really want to get wet," Tenten told him, deftly looping one end of the razor wire around the kunai. "Do you see a trap?"

Neji shook his head, and she hurled the kunai at the flag, with an alarming speed and accuracy. The sharp point sank into the cloth, and Tenten gave a tug on her razor wire, sending the kunai, flag attached, whizzing back towards her.

"Tenten watch out-" Neji barely had time to utter his warning, as large ropes shot out from under the ground, curling themselves around where Tenten's ankles would have been if Neji hadn't swiftly yanked her away by the collar of her pink shirt.

The ropes coiled uselessly to the floor, and Neji immediately let go of Tenten, who rubbed her neck with her hand (Neji wasn't exactly gentle) before looking at him.

"Um – thanks," she offered, smiling slightly at him. "That was too fast for me to notice..."

"Pay more attention," he reprimanded, before bounding into the trees. Tenten sighed, and followed him.

Less than a minute later, they were at the location of Neji's second flag, which was a few meters downstream from Tenten's, and in a similar position.

Neji looked distastefully at the water for a moment – the current was too strong for him to even attempt walking on the surface, and he couldn't try Tenten's stunt due to the fact that his flag was almost lying flat amidst the blades of grass.

"I could – try getting it for you?" Tenten offered, but Neji shook his head.

"No. Gai-sensei said we would get disqualified if we took each other's flags. I know this doesn't amount to that, but somehow, I still think it would still count as the same."

"Ok-ay... but then what do you propose to do, if you don't want to get wet?" she asked him.

"Send two wires across to that tree trunk there," Neji ordered, pointing. "I'll walk across them."

Tenten complied, pulling out two more kunai and attaching them to her handy razor wires. Seconds later and the weapons were lodged firmly into the tree trunk, stretching the wire across the river like a make-shift bridge. It wasn't very sturdy, but it would do, and Neji quickly made his way across, balancing himself on the wires with chakra, as Tenten pulled them to keep them taut. He quickly found, and deactivated the trap, and a large net fell out of the tree, pooling at his feet. Neji then pulled out his flag, and wordlessly walked back across to Tenten, who immediately retracted her weapons.

"Twenty minutes left," she informed him, and Neji realized that she was actually proving rather useful to have as a teammate.

"Hn. Now we must find Lee."

– X –

They found Lee, in quite a compromising position. The boy was completely drenched, and was dangling upside down, his ankle suspended to the branch of a tree, his long braid hanging comically from his head. His face was red from all the blood that had rushed there, and he seemed ready to pass out. Since he couldn't use chakra like Neji, and didn't keep weapons with him like Tenten, he was quite badly stuck. His speed, strength and thunderous taijutsu couldn't help him out of his current predicament, though he had _tried, _as was evident from the broken tree branches scattered below his form.

"Tenten! Neji!" Lee almost screamed with palpable relief, "I was wondering when you two would get here!"

"Idiot," Tenten muttered, shaking her head as she flicked a shuriken towards the thick rope. It snapped cleanly, and Lee tumbled to the ground. He sat up, his hair dishevelled, and smiled feebly.

"Thank you Tenten," he said. "I tried cutting it with my bare hands. It did not work."

"You should always keep weapons with you," Tenten scolded. "Never know when they'll come in handy!"

"Yes, and you've wasted your time as well as ours!" Neji snapped, scowling at Lee, who looked utterly woebegone.

"I – I'm so sorry!" Lee cried miserably. "I will – I will find my remaining two flags at once!"

"Wait up Lee!" Tenten cried, grabbing his arm. "You'll just get caught in another trap! Neji and I have only one flag to go each – how about you come with us now, and we'll join you later to find your two flags!"

"Not enough time," Neji grunted. "Lee's flags are too far. Lee go get your second flag. For god's sake, don't fall into another trap, be a little more alert. Tenten and I will join you once we get ours."

"Alright!" Lee nodded, before speeding off.

"Neji, he's just going to get trapped again!" Tenten exclaimed.

"He may not," Neji told her, though he doubted this himself. "And if he doesn't, it will save our time."

– X –

Neji's flag wasn't too hard to find, and was easily accessible as well, merely wedged within two large boulders. Neji cautiously reached out towards it – he couldn't see a trap with his Byakugan, but this was rather simplistic.

His fears proved correct; the moment he wrenched out the piece of light blue cloth, the boulder exploded outwards, more hidden wires whipping towards him.

"Damnit," Neji cursed, battering away two with his arms. There were too many, and it would unnecessarily waste time if he had to break himself free with chakra.

There was a whizzing sound then, and the noise of metal scraping against metal. Neji looked up, and noticed that Tenten had unleashed a flurry of shuriken, and had managed to deflect the remaining three wires that were springing towards him. Though they zipped back up, there was a couple seconds delay in which Neji rolled out of the way and jumped up, before retreating to a safe distance.

Tenten smiled, looking rather proud of herself.

"Let's go," Neji grunted, stuffing his final flag into his pocket. He didn't bother thanking her. Tenten's smile faded, though she didn't comment on this. Asking Neji Hyuuga for gratitude, even if she _had _helped him, was expecting a bit too much.

– X –

"Ten more minutes," Tenten noted, stowing away her third and final flag. It had been relatively easy to find, especially with Neji there to pinpoint the location with his Byakugan. He'd deactivated the trap as well, cleverly using his chakra. Tenten had easily snagged the third flag with her last reserves of razor wire, and they were now heading in Lee's direction.

They were silent the entire time, jumping mechanically from branch to branch. Neji didn't seem like the conversationalist; in fact, he ignored Tenten almost completely, except for when they'd been getting the flags, something which required speaking. Tenten idly wondered if he would always be like this. He'd always been reserved, and almost arrogant in the academy, turning his prim Hyuuga nose up at anyone who attempted to ingratiate him. But Tenten thought that maybe, since she and Lee were his teammates, and would be for the next few years... that he'd warm up to them, even slightly? Of course, this _was _still only their first official day as teammates, and he _had _spoken to her and even agreed to work with her, when it was absolutely necessary, albeit rather unwillingly, so Tenten supposed this indicated some sort of – comradeship. On a very, _very _low level.

_Who am I kidding? _Tenten thought to herself, glancing at the dark-haired boy as he leapt slightly in front of her, his long strands of hair trailing behind him. Neji had only spoken to her when it was required, and his words were always measured, calculated, precise. The only reason he was with her right now, was because if _she _failed, he did automatically as well. Tenten couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed; she hadn't been expecting special treatment, but at least some sort of acknowledgment for her deeds. Though she didn't particularly _like _Neji, she had admired him for his prowess in ninjutsu and taijutsu in the academy, and would have appreciated his recognition.

But then again, to Neji, she was nobody. He probably didn't care about her. Or about Lee, or Gai-sensei, or any of them for that matter.

They soon crossed paths with Lee, who was for some inexplicable reason covered with splotches of mud, but yet beaming. He shoved a grungy flag in Tenten's face, obviously very pleased with himself.

"I dodged the trap with my speed!" he informed Neji and Tenten cheerfully.

"That's great," Tenten complimented, though Neji, as usual, said nothing.

He just changed direction, obviously heading towards Lee's final flag. He glanced at Tenten before, nodding slightly, a silent indication that she and Lee were to follow him. Tenten sighed, and followed, though she soon found herself chattering with Lee. Unlike Neji, Lee was a very talkative and bright boy, and though he was slightly silly, Tenten enjoyed conversing with him.

Neji on the other hand was slightly peeved with his teammates' incessant, asinine babble. They were _ninja, _and though this wasn't a serious mission, they shouldn't be _talking _during a test! And if it was a mission, they were supposed to be silent and stealthy. Nothing would give them away to enemy ninja better than pointless causerie.

They reached Lee's final flag, with seven minutes to spare. There was no trap here, only a flag that had been deliberately placed where Lee had no chance of reaching it. It was atop a tall pine tree, with rather slick slides and no hand holds or foot holds, or conveniently placed branches with which Lee could shimmy himself up. The green flag, half camouflaged amidst all the pines, fluttered mockingly at the trio from above. The height was too great for him to leap up to, and chakra-climbing was the only technique that would work, though Lee was still incapable of this. Tenten was as well, and though Neji hadn't tried it, he probably could due to his earlier training with the Hyuuga. However, he couldn't retrieve Lee's flag for him, and instead turned expectantly to Tenten, who was searching her pockets frantically.

"Damnit!" she moaned, "I used up all my chakra wires!"

"Excellent," Neji muttered sarcastically, as if it were all her fault.

"I can't climb it!" Lee wailed, "So – what do I do?"

"If you can't go up, get the damn flag down," Tenten said testily. "And hurry, we need to leave in five minutes, if we want to reach Gai-sensei's meeting spot on time..."

At her comments, however, Lee seemed to be struck by inspiration, and began pummelling the tree with gusto.

"What – the _hell _are you doing?" Neji asked after a minute, as Tenten looked on disbelievingly.

Lee continued to attack the tree with a fury, sending powerful kicks at the tough bark. If the collisions pained him, Lee didn't show it on his face, and continued the process inexorably.

"I'm – trying – to – break – it!" Lee gasped between kicks, "So – that – it – will – fall!"

"That's never going to work!" Tenten shrieked, "And we only have four more minutes!"

Neji, however, scanned the tree carefully with his Byakugan, and noticed that Lee's reckless technique was actually more effective than it looked. In fact, due to the force of his kicks, there were now numerous cracks within the tree bark, not visible to a non-Byakugan user's eye. Though it would take at least ten more minutes of pounding before the tree gave away, one precisely placed chakra strike would easily broaden the cracks, and bifurcate the tree entirely.

"Move," Neji commanded, and Lee looked at him incredulously. Neji was staring ahead in concentration, his palm glowing slightly.

"Neji, what-" Lee began, but Neji didn't reply, dashing towards the tree, and jabbing at it with a glowing palm. A few seconds later, a resounding crack filled the air, and Neji, Lee and Tenten just managed to leap back in time, as the enormous tree gradually toppled over.

"I – wow..." Tenten managed after a moment, and Lee was gaping openly at Neji. Neji smirked slightly and dusted his hands casually, before he turned away, back to his teammates.

Lee leapt forwards and snatched the green flag from between the prickly pines of the fallen tree, and the trio headed towards the clearing where Gai-sensei had told them to meet him.

They were three minutes early, and needless to say, Gai was thrilled.

"The springtime of youth burns within your souls!" he proclaimed emotionally after heartily congratulating his team. "I never actually expected you to complete the task within the time limit! In fact, you would have passed even if you hadn't, for the real key was _teamwork_, which you three have so youthfully displayed!"

"Wait – so we pass, right?" Tenten asked, just to clarify, and Gai nodded.

"Of course you do, my beautiful flower!"

"YES!" shouted Lee, punching the air. "I am now officially a NINJA! One step closer to my dream!"

Tenten winced slightly, at the new name Gai had bestowed upon her, but didn't comment on it.

"Can we do some _real _training now?" Neji asked, crossing his arms.

"Right – now?" Tenten looked at him in surprise. "We just – finished a test!"

Neji just stared at her for a moment, before looking away again.

"Don't tell me you're already tired!" Gai bemoaned, and Tenten hastily shook her head.

"I'm not, of course I'm not! I just thought – we could take a break..." she trailed off.

"No breaks!" Gai yelled, almost maniacally. "You will do one-hundred laps around Konoha each! Right now!"

"Yes sir!" Lee saluted, and had dashed off, leaving a trail of dust behind him. Both Neji and Tenten stared after him incredulously before turning to Gai.

"One – hundred?" Tenten protested faintly, "Isn't that a – bit – um..."

"Ridiculous," Neji finished for her, shaking his head. "That's physically _impossible. _And a sheer waste of time right now. We should be doing chakra control first, and _then _improving our speed and stamina."

"You'll soon find that old-fashioned endurance exercises does a lot more to boost your chakra reserves," Gai told them, "Now of you go, both of you!"

Neji glanced over at Tenten for a moment, and she looked at him as well. They had identical looks of exasperation on their faces, and for a moment, Tenten thought they may just have 'bonded' over something, even if it was as trivial as Gai-sensei's crazy exercise regime. But then he looked away, almost at once, and sped along the track Lee's pounding feet had created, leaving Tenten to run in his wake.

– X –

Neji sprinted ahead furiously, pumping chakra to his legs to keep him going. His heart was thudding painfully against his chest, and his muscles were starting to burn from over-exertion. He was on his thirtieth lap, and though he hadn't managed to catch up with Lee, who was quite a long way ahead of him, he was still continuing at an alarming pace, for quite a long time. Neji knew that shinobi required great stamina and speed, but Gai was asking too much. He doubted he'd make even fifty laps; he'd probably faint from exhaustion at forty. Still, Neji continued obstinately, his feet pounding against the ground, as he weaved his way through forests, an empty market place, past the academy and the Hokage Tower and back into the training ground. The sun was up now, and was beating relentlessly on his back, and his beige shirt was drenched with sweat. His arms ached as he swung them back and forth, continuing the momentum of this insanely fast-paced, insanely long run.

He could see Tenten from his Byakugan, a few meters behind him. She seemed slightly more tired than he was, and her movements were not as graceful as they had been a few laps earlier. She stumbled every now and then, and Neji knew it was a matter of time before she gave up, and sank to the ground in exhaustion. Though it was commendable for her to have kept up this far, Neji was just waiting for her to collapse to the ground and stop. He knew there was no way he'd keep up with Lee (who from the look of it was _far _from tired) but he'd make sure he did at least three more laps than Tenten, who was a _girl_. Anything less would be unacceptable.

After her thirty-sixth lap, Tenten did collapse to the ground, panting heavily, and though Neji was sorely tempted to join her, he ploughed on, ignoring the shooting pains lancing along his muscles. He was shocked at Lee, though. He'd known the boy was fast and had gargantuan reserves of stamina; his training had been solely focused on taijutsu, speed and stamina since his young days, since the doors of ninjutsu and genjutsu were closed to him. But Neji couldn't help but feel slightly astonished at his inhuman speed and stamina. He supposed it was due to endless hours of concentrated efforts on just _one _thing, but yet even he had to admit it was incredible.

Neji stopped after his thirty-ninth lap, falling to the ground in as dignified a manner as he could, grunting something about how overexertion could be fatal to one's body.

Gai simply clapped him on the back, told him he'd done a decent job, and that he required much more training if he wanted to be as 'youthfully fit' as Gai himself. This affronted Neji, who glowered at Gai rather menacingly. Gai didn't notice this though; he was too busy ebulliently cheering on Lee, as he zoomed past on his fortieth lap.

"Don't worry," Gai then told Neji, as the scowling white-eyed boy leaned against a tree, collecting his breath. "A few months with me, and one-hundred laps will be _nothing _for you!"

Neji's heart rate returned to normal as Lee sped past on his forty-third lap. Tenten, who was sprawled a few meters away amidst the long grass pushed herself up, staring after Lee with wide brown eyes.

"He's – amazing," she whispered, and Neji just rolled his eyes. There was no way he was going to consider himself inferior to _Lee _of all people. After all, Lee couldn't even do ninjutsu or genjutsu, the former of which was practically a necessity if one wanted to be a ninja. He didn't voice this thought to Tenten though, at chose to close his eyes and meditate, clearing his mind of all thoughts. There was a rustle of grass to his left, as Tenten settled back down on the grass, and the clearing was silent, other than the series of loud footfalls and heavy breathing as Lee raced past every few minutes.

Neji immersed himself into his meditation, and didn't know how much time had passed until he was rudely jolted away by Gai's shouts and a loud thump on his right. Neji opened his eyes, and was met with the sight of a sweat-drenched, red-faced Lee, on his hands and knees, breathing heavily.

"Well _done, _my youthful pupil!" Gai was gasconading, "I am _proud _of you, Lee!"

Neji's stomach clenched – he couldn't _possibly _have done all hundred of them! It was _impossible, _even for Lee.

"But – sensei!" Lee gasped, and Tenten was at his side in an instant, holding out a bottle of water which he gratefully accepted, chugging it down in one gulp. "I – didn't – finish!" He struggled to get up, and Tenten looked at him, rather horrified.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"I still have – twenty six more laps!" Lee panted, but Gai placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

"You can always improve tomorrow, Lee," he told him, teeth twinkling in what Neji considered was a rather disturbing manner. "And honestly, I was stunned the moment you crossed fifty. Seventy-four, my youthful student, is brilliant!"

"I am glad I have made you proud, Gai-sensei," Lee said sincerely, eyes shining.

Neji looked away, closing his eyes again. He didn't know if Lee was being genuine or sycophantic, but for some reason he found it rather sickening.

– X –

_This, _Neji thought complacently, _is more like it. _

After what he considered an overdone warm-up, Gai had finally set them to chakra-controlled exercises; the basic techniques which involved tree-climbing and water-walking.

This came to Neji almost naturally, due to the training he'd had since he was a child. He could feel, and see, the streams of chakra flow easily through his body, twisting and turning, and relocating at his command. Concentrating just the right amount at his feet had been easy, and he'd mastered tree-walking after his third try, in less than ten minutes. He'd walked gracefully to the top of the tree, and perched himself on the tree branch, watching with amusement (concealed behind his stoic mask) as his other two teammates attempted the feat.

Tenten was moderately good – initially she faced the trouble most new genin did, and couldn't quite control her chakra. She had to start off by taking a long run-up and dashing up the tree, before she'd fall back down, flipping over mid-air and hurling a kunai to mark the spot she'd crossed. She progressed steadily though, coming about an inch or two higher every time, and her tree was now punctured with a series of slashes running up its length. Still, it took her almost twice as long as Neji to reach half the height he'd attained, as was currently struggling to go higher. She'd usually inject too much chakra, and hence crush the tree bark, lose her footing and slide down.

Lee, on the other hand, was progressing dismally. He'd barely reached two third of Tenten's current height. Due to his malfunctioning chakra coils, he was having great difficulty gathering chakra to his feet. Gai-sensei had told him it would be hard because of this defect – but not impossible. Luckily, the chakra coils in Lee's lower limbs were better formed than those in his arms, and though he'd never be able to perform basic ninjutsu, or gather chakra properly to his arms, he would, after much effort, manage to gain substantial control over his legs; enough for tree-climbing, water-walking, and chakra-powered kicks at least. A lugubrious looking Lee had brightened at this news, and proceeded diligently at the tree-walking task. However, unlike Tenten, Lee achieved most of his height due to the sheer speed with which he dashed towards the tree, rather than actual chakra control. Still, with his Byakugan, Neji could tell his chakra control was improving by miniscule amounts; after a few weeks of training, he'd probably master it as well.

Neji leaned against the bark of the tree, his gaze now shifting back to Tenten, who was ploughing her way up the neighboring tree, an expression of utmost concentration on her face. She was doing quite well, and was just two meters or so below Neji, when her footing suddenly slipped. Tenten gave a cry as she lurched backwards, falling headfirst towards the ground.

Neji reacted almost instinctively – he leapt off his tree branch, towards Tenten's falling figure, with the intention of catching her before she fell. Below, even Lee was running with his arms outstretched, a similar notion in his mind.

She stunned them both, though, pulling out an oversized kunai and stabbing it into the tree trunk. There was a horrible grinding sound, as the metal tore into the bark, sending splinters of wood flying everywhere. Tenten's trick served its purpose though, and the friction between the tree and the kunai slowed her down, albeit with a large jerk, and she managed to flip back around before neatly landing on her feet. Lee stopped a few feet in front of her, and Neji landed besides her, feeling rather stupid.

"Tenten! You scared me!" Lee exclaimed, but she smiled cheerfully at him.

"Don't worry about me, Lee, just focus on your training!" she chirped, shooting a smile towards Neji as well.

Neji ignored this, wondering what had compelled him to come to her rescue anyway – not that she'd needed it. It was probably just the fact that she was now a teammate, and if a teammate got hurt, it would affect the dynamic of the team.

"You should be more careful," he told her darkly, before stalking off.

Tenten shrugged, interpreting his surly behaviour as possible concern – or not. She recommenced her tree-climbing as Neji walked towards Gai and demanded a more exigent exercise.

Gai started Neji on water-walking after that, and Tenten joined him two hours later, as Lee continued to scamper up trees. Water-walking, though slightly more challenging than tree-climbing, didn't prove too difficult to Neji. He mastered it after half an hour, and a few splashes. He then sat on the river side, wringing the cold water from his long locks, watching Tenten and Lee from the back of his head using his Byakugan.

Tenten was having trouble on the water – she'd slip in a few inches every now and then, and at times she'd flail wildly before tumbling in with a crash, only to emerge a few seconds later, spluttering and soaking wet. Neji found it slightly entertaining as she pulled herself out of the water for the eighth time, angrily pushing away drenched brown bangs from her eyes. Her clothes were soaked as well, and stuck to her figure, something which Neji proceeded to ignore pointedly. Lee had gained a meter or so with his tree-climbing. Of course, Gai would make them both practise until they had it down perfectly. For a ninja, balancing on water and walking on walls is something that should come as instinctively as breathing; you had to practice until the chakra almost involuntarily gathered itself where you wanted it, something which Neji was beginning to manage quite well.

– X –

Half an hour later Gai had called them back. Neji, Lee and a dripping Tenten assembled in front of him near the trees, where a variety of dart-boards and cloth dummies, made of grainy brown bags filled with dry grass, were hanging.

Tenten's disgruntled expression brightened tenfold at the sight of this.

"Well, I've made you work on your physical strength, and you chakra control," Gai said. "That's two basics done for the day. It's getting late now, so there's just _one _skill left!"

"Target practice!" Tenten cheered, brown eyes sparkling.

"Correct, my dear flower. Target practice it is! It's five o clock now – you will do one and a half hours of target practice, my students, before you limber down and leave. Remember, aim with the full power and accuracy of youth!"

Neji considered his advice, along with his obsessive blather about youth rather futile, but proceeded to stand across one of the shiny, red plastic targets, fingering a few kunai. He focused his eyes on the centre of the target, and flung three kunai in rapid succession.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

They didn't hit the bulls-eye, but were barely a few centimetres from it, forming a rather lopsided triangle. Though it wasn't perfect, Neji was satisfied – if that was an enemy, he would have probably hit their vitals. Still, he needed to improve his precision, and even his accuracy by a bit.

"Good job!" Gai praised him heartily, though Neji could see Tenten's expression through the back of his head.

She was _smirking. _As if she thought she could better him. The very notion was ridiculous.

Neji knew Tenten had excellent aim – he'd seen her during demonstrations at the academy, and earlier that day when she'd used her kunai and shuriken during their test. However, with the advantage of the Byakugan, he had an excellent aim as well, and all three of his kunai were barely a centimetre off the target each. It wasn't possible that she could get any better than that.

Neji whirled around in surprise, as five grey blurs zoomed through the air towards different sides of the forest. They were _kunai, _he realized, and she'd chucked them with a meteoric speed. There was no way she'd be able to hit the targets though, Neji thought, if she threw them that fast. It was a bit hasty, and possibly over-enthusiastic of her.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Neji found it difficult to keep the expression of shock off his face, when three of the five kunai buried themselves deep into the exact centre of three of the targets. The one that she'd aimed at the target he'd been practicing on was now nestled between his three kunai, making them look rather out-of-place and poorly aimed in comparison. The other two kunai she'd thrown were barely half a centimetre off.

Her aim and skill with weapons, Neji conceded, was laudable, and superior to his own.

Tenten however, narrowed her eyes, shaking her head as she looked at the two kunai that were not lodged dead-centre. Obviously, she wasn't pleased, though Lee and Gai seemed thrilled.

"Wow, Tenten! That was awesome!" Lee cried, "Can you teach me?"

"Beautiful, my young flower, you are truly blooming with youth!" Gai boomed, looking extremely proud. "I see we have THREE extremely talented ninja in this squad! Lee with his super-human speed and stamina, Neji with his perfect chakra control, and Tenten with her unerring aim! I cannot _wait _to tell Kakashi!"

Tenten and Lee both beamed at this, though Neji was expressionless as usual.

He wondered for a moment if Gai and Kakashi were friends; from what he knew, Kakashi was relatively reserved, and didn't seem like the kind to converse much with a lunatic like Gai... but then, maybe he was mistaken. However, Gai's words did make sense. Though Neji was known as a 'genius' (and it irked him slightly to be compared with Tenten and Lee, no matter how talented they may have been in their own ways), he had to admit his new team did appear pretty well-balanced. He found himself abhorring the concept of teamwork far less at the end of the day, though he still would have preferred going solo with a Jounin sensei.

The training session drew to an end after they finished target practice and did a few stretching exercises to cool themselves down. The sun was setting, casting a blood red glow over the sky and training grounds, and Neji and Tenten proceeded to walk away from the training grounds. Gai had held Lee back, for some reason which the other two didn't particularly want to know. They walked out in silence, Tenten fidgeting with a shuriken, until she finally spoke.

"So – I guess I'll see you tomorrow," she said politely, nodding at Neji. "Good-bye, Neji."

She scampered off, without waiting for a reply, and he was slightly relieved. It's not like he'd really intended to give her one, one that was more than a mere grunt of recognition anyway. At least Tenten seemed to understand this part of Neji's behaviour, and he was slightly grateful towards the fact.

– X –

The next day of training started off with laps at seven in the morning. This time, Neji managed forty, and Tenten did thirty-seven; one more than the previous day. Gai seemed satisfied. Lee, however, shocked them all. Neji and Tenten were both surprised when Lee slumped down, over twenty laps too soon, moaning about his legs. He barely managed fifty-two, and his movements were sluggish, as if he bore some kind of unimaginable weight. In fact, unknown to Neji and Tenten, he _was _wearing weights; incredible heavy ones, strapped to each leg; it was a miracle he'd managed fifty laps, and maintained his lead in front of Neji the entire time, though this lead had been lessened to a mere five meters.

After an hour of chakra control exercises, and an hour of target practice, Gai then set them through gruelling taijutsu training. Most of this required quite a lot of stretching and kicking of trees, which Lee proceeded to do with gusto. Tenten did as well, though Neji crossed his arms and refused.

He had his _own _unique style of taijutsu, which was far more elegant, and far more _deadly _than this showboating business. When he relayed this to Gai, the bushy-browed man didn't seem surprised, and nodded.

"I suppose you're referring to the Gentle Fist?" he asked, and Neji nodded.

"It's my clan's technique, and I much prefer it to – _this _style of taijutsu," the young Hyuuga said, undertones of pompousness creeping into his voice.

This seemed to annoy Lee, who turned from his tree to shout at Neji.

"Why do you talk like that?" he demanded, and Neji raised an elegant eyebrow questioningly.

"You know," Lee pressed, gesticulating wildly, "As if – as if _your _taijutsu style is superior to Gai-sensei's, and to mine! Just because it's different doesn't mean it's better!"

"The Gentle Fist is the deadliest, most complex, most _lethal, _most effective style of taijutsu there is," Neji deadpanned. "Other styles stand no chance against it. Unfortunately for you, only Hyuuga clan members who possess the Byakugan can do it. And it requires chakra control, something you lack."

He'd meant to say it matter-of-factly, but Lee took it as a direct insult.

"I bet I can beat your Gentle Fist even _without _your special eyes, and your chakra control!" Lee hollered, eyes glinting. "Just because you're a natural genius, everything comes easy for you! But I'll work hard, and show that I can defeat you as well, with _my _taijutsu!"

"Impossible," Neji scoffed, rolling his eyes, though he was rather taken aback. He hadn't meant to insult Lee, he was just stating the obvious, in a rather straightforward manner.

"No it isn't!" Lee yelled indignantly, "I'll prove it to you! You are my rival now, Neji, and I will fight you to prove my point!"

"Lee, are you crazy?" Tenten interrupted worriedly. "You can't fight _him. _He's a – well he's supposedly a genius!"

Her slightly tactless comment however, seemed to fuel Lee further. Tenten really did have the tact of a sledgehammer in the best of situations.

"I don't care!" Lee shouted. "I don't care if he's called a genius! That's only a title, something he was born with! I can beat you, Neji, just you wait and see!"

Neji was rather surprised when Lee charged at him, with full intentions of attacking. He side-stepped gracefully, despite Lee's speed, and spun around on one foot, before thrusting a chakra-infused palm at Lee's chest. He didn't aim for any vital organs, but sent the other boy flying through the air a few feet, until he crashed to the ground.

Lee stared at him, wide-eyed for a moment from where he was sprawled on the ground, and Tenten gasped, clasping her hands together. Neji glared at him, a frigid, white-eyed glare, and Lee glowered back, his thick brows furrowed and his dark eyes just as intense, before he scrambled up, obviously intending to make another move. Tenten held him back though, grabbing his arms and pulling him backwards before Neji, who had already fallen into his attacking stance, could land a hit on him.

"Let me go, Tenten!" Lee cried, struggling against her, "I'll get him this time!"

"Don't Lee!" she moaned, "Do you want to get hit again, or something?"

"See," Neji said softly, smirking, "Even Tenten knows it's useless. You can't fight me, Lee. You never will. You'll always fail, just like you'll fail at becoming a shinobi. It's fated. You can't-"

"SHUT UP!" Lee bellowed, interrupting what would soon erupt into a fate-centric monologue. "I don't care _what _you say, Neji! That's not true! I _will _become a ninja!"

His voice was thick, and his eyes were shining oddly. Neji felt a slight pang of guilt at Lee's hurt expression, but ignored it. Though his words had been harsh, they had been true.

"Stop deluding yourself," Neji said sharply, "It's no use. Just accept it, Lee. Accept your destiny."

_Like I have, mine, _Neji thought bitterly, ignoring the horrified glance that Tenten had sent him. She didn't say anything though, and had laid a conciliatory hand on Lee's shoulder.

Lee was trembling, rather violently.

"You – you – Neji – " he stammered.

"Let it go, Lee," Tenten whispered, almost fearfully as she patted his back.

"What?" Neji snapped, wondering why the hell she had suddenly decided to side _him. He'd _attacked first after all, Neji was only defending himself. If Lee wanted to be childish and overly optimistic, there was nothing Neji could do about it. "If he wants to say something, Tenten, he can just spit it out!"

Tenten flinched slightly at the acerbic tone in which Neji said her name, but remained quiet.

"ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!" Gai's booming voice cut through the air, and the three genin fell silent.

"Neji, Lee, as your sensei, I expressly forbid both of you from ever fighting one another again. If I ever find one of you attacking the other again, you will _both _face _dire _consequences. Am I understood?" Gai's voice was uncharacteristically hard when he spoke, his face stern.

Neji was sorely tempted to point out that _Lee _had attacked _first, _but thought better of it. Gai could actually be rather intimidating, and though Neji was certainly not intimidated, he didn't want to antagonize him.

Lee also seemed to bite back his words, and settled for a whimper of "Y-yes, Gai-sensei," instead.

Gai then glared at Neji, who inclined his head slightly in response.

"Good," Gai said gravely, shaking his head. "You all must understand that in a squad, teamwork is the most important tool a shinobi can have. Speed, strength, chakra control, aim, jutsus – it's all useless if you don't have proper teamwork and team bonds. For if there is lack of coordination between squad members, during a deadly mission, even the slightest miscalculation of a teammate's movements can lead to the death or injury of your ally, and give the enemy an upper hand. On the contrary, some attacks can be pulled of flawlessly when you merge your talents, taking even the most powerful S-ranked shinobi by surprise. It's all about teamwork, and team bonds. Lee, Neji, Tenten, I hope you comprehend the true importance of what I am trying to impress upon you."

The genin nodded silently, and Neji observed that for once, Gai-sensei was speaking like a normal human being. Though he inwardly disagreed with some of what he had said – how could teamwork _possible _be more advantageous than jutsu, and the Hyuuga jutsus were not _meant _to be collaborated, they were for solo fighters – Neji maintained a respectful facade, agreeing outwardly to his sensei's words.

"Right then, let's continue," Gai said. "Tenten and Lee, work through the taijutsu positions I taught you. Neji, show me how much of the Gentle Fist you have mastered so far."

– X –

Neji, at the end of a short spar with his sensei, had to reluctantly admit to himself, that the man was certainly phenomenally talented. His speed had been too great, his movements to rapid for Neji to keep up with and he found himself unable to land a single hit on the man. Moreover, Gai had managed to land a couple forceful blows on Neji, bruising the young Hyuuga's body as well as his ego. He limped back to the training area, his respect for Gai having increased, albeit minimally, to find Lee and Tenten both kicking viciously at a tree trunk. Lee seemed to be enjoying the task, a sheen of sweat on his excited face, though Tenten seemed rather annoyed, and slightly tired. Gai stopped them a few minutes later, after adjusting their forms, and then called the team for their ending exercises before he dismissed them.

Lee sped off without a word, rather uncharacteristically not saying a word to either of his teammates before his swift departure. Neji felt his stomach curl slightly, with guilt, but ignored it. Tenten lingered for a moment more, seeming as if she'd wanted to say something, her mouth half-open, before she caught Neji's questioning gaze and quickly shut it, rushing off as well with a hurried goodbye to her teammate and Gai. Frustrated by the awkward atmosphere and the aching pain in his limbs, Neji nodded coolly at his teacher before leaving as well, headed straight for the Hyuuga compound.

To his annoyance he bumped into Hinata again, who seemed to notice his slightly unsteady gait and the fact that he was limping, and hence injured.

"N-neji-nii-san?" she asked tremulously, white eyes widening, "Y-you're hurt?"

Neji glowered at her and she shrank back, but continued, twisting her fingers together.

"U-um – I – I have some – some – o-ointment – if you – if you like," Hinata offered, her voice faint.

"Mind your own business," Neji snapped, not liking to appear weak in his cousin's eyes, and stalked off, trying very hard not to limp.

Hinata scurried away like a frightened mouse, and Neji darted into his own room as inconspicuously as he could, barely avoiding an encounter with his uncle Hiashi, who walked down the same corridor just moments later.

That night he unwrapped his bandages, surveying his injuries. Gai, though he'd merely been – _toying _with him, hadn't let Neji off that easily. There were a quite a few large purplish bruises, unsightly blemishes across the pale and usually spotless skin. Neji ground his teeth – they'd take ages to disappear. Unlike the Gentle Fist which ruptured only internal organs without any visible scarring, Gai's taijutsu did cause external effects. He quickly wrapped up his limbs in clean white bandages, hiding any trace of injury – for that would be denigrating – and slid into bed, not bothering to take any painkillers.

A ninja must always known pain, and the experience would just make him stronger. And Neji needed to get stronger if he wanted to surpass the Main House; the really he was far superior to that worthless Hinata.

Neji curled his hands into fists, pupil-less eyes darting underneath his closed lids as he drifted off into sleep, the pain in his limbs gradually fading away as he entered his slumbering oblivion.

He dreamt about his teammates that night. Lee was there, wearing the same tight green spandex that Guy wore, pummelling Neji into the ground. Neji tried defending himself, but his Gentle Fist proved useless against Lee's hard strikes. Tenten was cheering Lee on, and when the bushy-browed boy sneered at Neji's face from above, he suddenly turned into Hiashi, his face hard. Hiashi berated Neji for his failure, telling him that as a Branch House member he had no right to dishonour the clan this way. He said that even baby Hanabi would make a better shinobi than Neji, and then suddenly, Neji found himself chained, inside a large metal cage, and Hiashi was activating the seal on him and he was writhing in pain, calling for his father.

That's when he shot up out of bed, panting slightly, silver eyes wide as he realized it had all been just a dream. Lee would never defeat him, of course. Hanabi was a snivelling little child who was possibly more annoying than Hinata; there was no way she could surpass _him_. Hiashi wouldn't unnecessarily activate the seal, Neji would never give him reason to. And Tenten – Tenten had actually played quite an insignificant role in Neji's dream, but for some reason the thought of her cheering on Lee instead of him gave him a strange feeling of discomfort in his chest.

– X –

Even Neji had to admit, rather begrudgingly, that his team was improving under the tutelage of Maito Gai.

He and Tenten could now manage about sixty-five laps, when Lee had reached eighty. Tenten could walk on water without falling in every now and then, and Lee could hang upside down from a tree by his feet as if he'd been doing it since the day he was born. He could manage water too, though it sometimes sloshed around his ankles when he fell in a few inches; but it was a drastic improvement. All three of them had become exponentially faster, and Neji realized that this speed was improving his mastery of the Gentle Fist. With Gai around, one had to move fast if they wanted to land a hit, and Neji could now manage up till an Eight Trigram Twenty-Eight Palm attack. He was working on Sixty-Four palms, though that would require even more training. Lee had adapted to Gai's taijutsu easily; he worked diligently and painstakingly and was progressing at an alarming rate. Tenten would fight with more and more weapons, ranging from staffs to nunchuks. Gai had even taught her a special method in which she could seal her rapidly increasing armoury in a small, light paper scroll; a far more convenient way to carry around her arsenal than actually physically dragging around the numerous pieces of metal and wood.

They'd successfully completed every single mission they had been given so far – mainly measly D-ranks which Neji abhorred, as well as a couple of C-Ranks.

The first mission was to catch Tora, the Daimyo's cat. They accomplished it in eighteen seconds, and the Hokage had been impressed. It hadn't been difficult; Neji had used his Byakugan to pinpoint the cat's exact location. Tenten had aimed a barrage of kunai where he had directed her, inciting poor Tora to leap out of her hiding place, fur bristling in indignation and fright. And then, in a blur of beige and black, Lee had pounced on her, clamping his arms around her furry belly, ignoring her hisses and mewls of protest. Neji found the whole thing quite ridiculous actually.

The other missions were worse – walking dogs, raking leaves, gardening, even touching up the chiselled faces of the Hokage Monument with kunai. Though Tenten had enjoyed the last one, she along with Neji, found the others quite irritating; more so due to the zealous effervescence with which Lee and Gai performed these mundane tasks.

The C-Rank missions were decent, and Team Gai pulled them off almost flawlessly. They were mainly escort missions, and thanks to Neji's Byakugan they were not ever ambushed without notice; after which Tenten would pelt the enemies with kunai, and the rest of the squad would charge on with their taijutsu. Perhaps the only complaint that their clients did have was of mild earaches caused by Lee and Gai's raucous shouting, competing, cheering and once, to Neji and Tenten's dismay, singing.

Neji and Tenten had found some sort of strange solace in each other's company, being the two sane members of the squad. They often shared exasperated looks, and teamed up together during arguments when Gai and Lee were being far too impractical or infuriating (like the time they suggested that they reach their venue in half a day, when the journey required would really be two days. When Neji pointed out their client wouldn't be able to keep up, even if he and Tenten did, Lee suggested carrying the poor client piggyback. That's when Tenten had lashed out at him). They didn't speak all that much, other than what was necessary, but Neji found Tenten to be one of the few, and quite possibly the most tolerable person in his life. Though Tenten's admiration for him was evident, even Neji harboured a sense of respect towards the kunoichi; she was skilled at what she did, and didn't act like a complete, socially inept retard. She didn't annoy him or fangirl over him and she was good with weapons; in Neji's eyes, this was satisfactory. He didn't consider her a friend, but she was probably the least annoying person, or the person he felt least compelled to jyuken the guts out of, at least.

Team Gai's daily training sessions continued as usual; though Gai had forbidden Neji and Lee from sparring, Neji found independent practice more beneficial either way. Tenten usually practiced alone as well, using targets or dummies, leaving Lee and Gai together. Twice a week, however, Gai made it a point that the whole squad train together as one, rather than in their separate factions.

Today had been one such session. Gai had put them through a gruelling physical training and taijutsu exercise for five hours straight, and by noon, all three, including the usually hyperactive Lee, were quite exhausted.

"All of you did well today," Gai told his genin, flashing them a blinding smile and a thumbs up. "In fact, I think I'll give you the rest of the day off!"

"Yes!" Tenten cheered, looking thrilled. Even Neji had to control the look of relief that almost flooded over his features; Gai had really put them through hell, working them till they could have died of fatigue.

Lee however looked disappointed.

"But sensei," he began, pouting, "What if I want to train harder? What if I want to become stronger than I was yesterday?" he cried, echoing the phrase that they had recently adopted as their motto after one particularly inspiring training session.

"You succeeded," Tenten pointed out blandly, "As of yesterday, you could do only eighty-six laps. Today you did eighty-eight. Quit whining!"

"A good point, my dear flower," Gai said, and Neji smirked slightly as Tenten flinched at the nickname. It was obvious she hated it, and Neji was grateful Gai hadn't thought of one for him; he probably wouldn't be able to control himself from attacking him if he did.

"But worry not, Lee, my youthful pupil. For before you three leave, I have a VERY special SURPRISE for all of you!" Gai announced.

"Oh! A surprise! How kind of you, Gai-sensei! How very thoughtful!" Lee yelled, bouncing around like an excited three-year old. "What is it? What is it?"

Gai paused for a long moment, obviously trying to create suspense, before producing a hideous green spandex bodysuit from seemingly nowhere and holding it out dramatically.

"Custom-made, specialized green spandex bodysuits!" he shouted ebulliently. "Streamlined, waterproof, perfectly fitting, comfortable, not to mention stylish pieces of clothing, flexible and perfect for any kind of fighting, especially taijutsu! These are unique and YOU three are some of the few ninja bestowed with the honor of wearing this amazing, amazing garment. So wear it, and EXPLODE with YOUTH! I promise, this will improve your speed, stamina, aesthetic appeal while fighting – not to mention team bonds!"

Neji, Lee and Tenten stared on as Gai gasconaded about the green spandex bodysuit. Neji and Tenten had looks incredulity coalesced with disgust.

"You're – joking right?" Tenten asked finally, with an uncertain edge to her voice. Neji didn't feel the need to dignify Gai's outburst with a response, though his sentiments echoed Tenten's own.

Lee on the other hand, looked ready to explode.

A few seconds later, he did.

"OH THANK YOU GAI-SENSEI!" Lee screamed, clutching his hands together, his round eyes wide and misty. "I WILL WEAR THESE, AND EMULATE YOU, AND IT SHALL HELP ME PROGRESS AS A NINJA AND ACHIEVE MY GOAL!" Lee cried passionately.

"AH! LEE! MY YOUTHFUL STUDENT! I AM SO – PROUD OF YOU!" Gai choked at the last bit, tears welling in his eyes, extending his arms outwards, as Neji and Tenten's expressions morphed into absolute disgust.

"OH GAI-SENSEI!" Lee cried, his voice muffled by sobs, as he ran into his teacher's waiting arms. They embraced youthfully for a while.

"OH LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LET US RUN NOW, WITH THE FULL POWER AND FLAMES OF YOUTH!"

With that, Lee and Gai broke apart, tears streaming down their cheeks; it was the first youthful display of affection, the first of many more to come, and Neji and Tenten were at a loss of words.

It was Neji who spoke first this time, breaking the youthful atmosphere with his icy cold tone.

"Can we leave now?" he asked.

"Of course!" Gai said, "But don't you want to try your suit first? I made sure I had your correct measurements, but it is always better to try!"

Neji wondered for a moment, how the _hell _the man managed to get his _measurements _but decided he would rather not know. As for the spandex-

"_Hell _no," Neji said emphatically, his voice carrying a lot more emotion than it usually did.

"You're _not _convincing us to wear those," Tenten added adamantly.

"Wh-why not?" Gai asked, bewildered. "They're so – youthful! And they will kindle your flames of-"

"I would not be caught _dead _in that," Neji said through gritted teeth.

"I actually expected you to wear this when you were alive and fighting," Gai said.

"Seriously!" Tenten rebutted, "This is insane! We're not going to wear those and look like morons! It'll be like this retarded cult or something! We'll be the laughingstock of Konoha!"

"I'm not-"

"No. Don't bother trying to convince us further. We're not going to do it," Neji said, speaking for both of them.

Gai stared at him for a moment, and then at Tenten. They had identical stubborn and determined glints in their eyes.

Gai sighed.

"Your loss," he shrugged, his voice one of utmost melancholy. "But don't come crying to me when Lee beats you both after benefitting greatly from-"

"We won't," Neji said shortly, interrupting him. "Can we leave now?"

"I suppose so," Gai said dejectedly, and Neji wasted no time in strutting off, followed soon by Tenten, who offered a hasty apology to Gai before leaving.

Lee stayed back to try on his spandex.

Once they were out of earshot of Lee and Gai, Neji slowed his pace. Tenten soon caught up with him; he usually would have continued walking quickly to ensure she didn't, but for some reason he found himself not minding her company.

"That was – disturbing," she said after a while, grimacing.

"Extremely," Neji agreed.

"I hope those – um – youthfests – don't become a regular occurrence," she went on, and Neji found himself smirking at this description.

"They act like seven year-olds, it's mortifying." he muttered, wondering why he was even bothering to converse with her; he probably just needed to vent it out on someone, and she was the best person there was for that, considering they shared the same plight.

"Hm," Tenten murmured in agreement. "You know – I – I'm kind of thankful that – you're – um – normal…"

Neji glared at her for a moment, wondering what she was implying, before realizing it was a compliment.

"Hn."

"I don't think I'd be able to stand them both if you weren't there, not when they're like this. It's like they feed off each other…" Tenten ranted.

Neji furrowed his brows at the first part – it seemed almost fangirlish, something which he would scorn. But then again, this was Tenten, and she certainly _wasn't _a fangirl. She'd meant it honestly, and Neji knew that somewhere in him, he felt the same.

He didn't think he was particularly fond of Tenten, though he spent more time with her than the other two (choosing to sit next to her if they ever went on those god-forsaken team dinners) put together. Still, her presence was always oddly – comforting. As if he knew he had some kind of unspoken support from her, that he had another sane teammate who suffered through Lee and Gai's crazy, asinine antics. Neji wondered if he had begun to grow fond of her, or consider her a friend – he dismissed this thought quickly. She was just a teammate, and conveniently she was similar to him in some ways. That was all.

"Kami, I'm starved," Tenten said, after finishing her tirade. "Do you – um – want to grab a bite to eat?"

Neji was shocked for a moment as he registered that she was inviting him out to eat. A lot of fangirls had done that; he'd ignored them blatantly, sometimes rewarding the persistent ones with a frigid Byakugan glare. But this was Tenten, and Neji had established earlier that she wasn't like that. She probably meant it in a friendly way, since she knew they were both starved after the training session.

Still, going out to eat, that too with – someone else – was a rather foreign concept to Neji, who was generally a loner. He decided to decline, as politely as possible. After all, he wasn't going to treat her like a fangirl when he knew she wasn't one – or so it seemed.

"No thanks," he said curtly, carefully watching her facial expression.

Tenten didn't seem to mind much, merely shrugging.

"Okay then. See you tomorrow," she called nonchalantly, scurrying off.

"Good – bye," Neji found himself saying, a bit awkwardly. She didn't hear him though, and Neji turned around and headed for the Hyuuga compound.

– X –

The next morning, Neji arrived at the training grounds earlier than usual. He decided to pass his time meditating, and was sitting quite serenely, when twenty minutes later, Tenten arrived.

He could sense her chakra, and he didn't bother greeting her. She knew he was meditating after all. However, to Neji's surprise, Tenten called out to him after a moment.

"Hey – um – Neji?"

He ignored her, feeling slightly peeved. She'd never bothered him before; Tenten had enough sense to know Neji was not to be disturbed meditating, so why the hell was she calling him now?

"Sorry to – um – bother you," Tenten said awkwardly, "But you're kinda – sitting below my – training spot…"

'_What the hell is she on about?' _Neji wondered for a moment.

"Neji!" Tenten called again, now sounding slightly annoyed. "You just have to move a few meters! I need to do target practice!"

'_Go somewhere else,' _Neji thought, rather selfishly, despite the fact that he was sitting directly below the stuffed dummy she liked to practice on, its clumpy legs above the top of his head.

"Neji…"

He could have sworn she'd growled it out – there was no way he was moving though. Neji Hyuuga never moved for other people, not even Tenten.

"Fine," he heard her say, before he proceeded to block out her voice; after all, that was the true art of meditation.

Tenten grumbled for a few moments, though Neji continued meditating peacefully, oblivious and uncaring to the fact. Suddenly, however, there was a loud thump, and Neji felt something whiz past the top of his head. His white eyes sprang open, Byakugan activating, and he looked up to see a kunai lodged firmly into the tree trunk, barely an inch above his head.

He glowered at Tenten, who was smiling impishly, her brown eyes sparkling, as she spun a kunai around her fingers, obviously intending to fling it at the target.

"Are you – mad?" he finally asked her, forcing his voice to be calm.

"I'm sorry, but you didn't move," she said, though her face indicated she wasn't really apologetic at all. "And I needed to do target practice."

"Are you aware how – _dangerous _– that was?" he almost snarled at her.

Tenten shrugged.

"Come on, my aim's pretty much perfect. I wasn't aiming at you, and even if it slipped a few centimetres, it wouldn't have hit you for sure. I angled it upwards."

She did have a point, Neji had to give her that much. But still, the gall of her – Neji's thoughts were interrupted when not one, but _two _green blurs zoomed into the clearing, loudly announcing their entrance.

"Double dynamic entry!" Lee and Gai cried together, leaping in with one leg outstretched. They landed neatly on the ground, striking identical poses, their teeth glimmering.

"Oh. My. God," Tenten muttered, shaking her head. "This isn't happening…"

"TENTEN! NEJI!" Lee shouted, "Don't I look YOUTHFUL?"

Tenten stared at him, and Neji averted his eyes in disgust.

Lee was wearing the green spandex, and orange legwarmers as well. His forehead protector was now tied around his waist, like Gai's. But the worst – or possibly the most striking was his hair. The long braid and the uneven bangs had been chopped off. Lee now sported a perfectly round, shining bowl cut. He was a mini-Gai, a clone of the Green Beast.

"This is – _frightening," _Tenten whispered, and Neji inwardly agreed with her.

The training session that day was one of the worst; euphoric at the prospect of being like his idol Gai, Lee was ten times more rambunctious and energetic than usual. Gai had also attempted to teach them some crazy, possibly suicidal technique called the Lotus.

It involved them jumping high into the air, and barrelling downwards headfirst while spinning simultaneously. Neji and Tenten gave up after three tries; though Tenten achieved the required height, and even managed to flip upside down, she ended up falling down with a sickening crack straight after that. The next time she jumped up and started spinning, she couldn't rotate her body mid-air, and lost control and crashed down yet again. Even Neji found it literally impossible to plummet upside down while spinning rapidly at the same time. He soon reached the same fate as Tenten, though his landings were slightly more graceful, or so he preferred to think. Still, even after three poorly executed tries, the physical exertion left Neji and Tenten gasping for breath, their muscles filled with searing pain. And when Gai told them something about bandages, Neji just managed to tangle his into a big, convoluted knot; pointless for wrapping up an enemy. Tenten didn't even wear bandages. That was the point when Gai told them, rather regretfully, that they would not be able to accomplish the difficult feat that was the Lotus. Neji was indignant at first, but then shrugged – he didn't really care either way. It wasn't suited to his taste anyway – Neji preferred damaging internal organs, not smashing bones and ripping apart muscles. And Tenten preferred throwing around weapons.

Lee, on the other hand, progressed further than the other two. He'd gotten nowhere near to executing the technique properly though, and Gai soon told him to stop as well, though he did have an odd glint in his eye. After he dismissed the group, he told Lee to stay back.

Neji and Tenten didn't find this odd – Gai's blatant favouritism was sometimes irritating (when he took sides) but otherwise, neither of them cared. They trudged back in silence, forgetting the morning's near-altercation after the excitement of the day.

"Damnit," Tenten groaned, "I'm aching all over…"

Neji didn't reply, wondering if he could get some of that damn ointment Hinata had. Its healing properties were miraculous, but there was no way in hell he was going to _ask _her if he could borrow it. Still, his muscles were throbbing and he felt like he was going to drop dead any moment.

Somehow, he managed to drag himself back to the Hyuuga complex, only to stumble across Hiashi, his uncle.

"Are you well?" Hiashi asked, noticing his pale demeanour.

"Yes," Neji said shortly, and seeing that his uncle wanted an explanation, added, "Difficult training session."

"You are limping," Hiashi observed, though he didn't sound concerned.

"Pulled a muscle," Neji grunted. He wasn't lying – he just conveniently forgot to mention that he'd pulled perhaps four or five. In different places.

"Hinata has some ointment. You may want to use it," Hiashi suggested, but Neji shook his head, a bit too soon.

"I'll be fine," he said, a bit aggressively, and Hiashi raised an eyebrow.

"I'll be fine," Neji replied, in a calmer tone, clenching his fists. "Hiashi-sama," he added, trying to keep the acrid tone out of his voice.

He really hated the godforsaken customs and etiquette of the Main House at times like this. Hiashi, however, seemed satisfied and swept off.

Neji dragged himself into the room, controlling the urge to slam the door shut; though really, he was too exhausted for the effort anyways. After a quick shower, he decided to meditate – after all, his morning session, he recalled, had been rather rudely interrupted by a certain bun-haired kunoichi.

He couldn't focus for long though –he was hungry, and he soon went to the Hyuuga kitchens, fixing himself some herring soba, before retreating back to his room to eat. Neji never ate lunch with the Main House, though he was forced to dine with them sometimes – he'd hated the experience. He had to sit next to a squirming Hinata, as a bunch of Main House elders gazed at him with a mixture of disdain and pity. There was perfect silence, and he had to follow a bunch of stupid rules; for example, he couldn't pick up his chopsticks until Hiashi-sama, the clan head did. Though some may have considered it an honor that a Branch House member was allowed to dine with the Main House, Neji despised it, and considered it humiliation.

After he finished his meal, Neji read a scroll on chakra control and the theory behind the Heavenly Spin, one of the complex legendary Hyuuga techniques which even a majority of the Main House members could not perform. It seemed exceedingly difficult, though Neji's secret ambition was to master it, mainly to spite the rest of the Main House.

Soon however, his exhaustion caught up with him, and he slumped back into his pillows, falling asleep, even though it was barely four o clock.

He didn't hear the light tapping on the door, or the sound of it softly opening, as a trembling Hinata peeked in, before placing a small jar of golden-brown ointment on his table. She stared at him for a moment, a mixture of sadness, concern and fear on her face, before she quickly exited, shutting the door softly behind her.

– X –

The next morning when Neji woke up, he saw the jar of ointment resting on his table. His was initially angered – how dare anyone come into his room without permission, however noble their purpose? It must have been Hinata, he realized, and he wondered if she was patronizing him. She probably wasn't, he reasoned, his anger abating slightly. The moment he slid off of bed, attempting to stand up, he was greeted by another flash of pain, and grudgingly applied the ointment, before wrapping his arm and leg up in bandages. He then placed the jar in his weapon pouch, deciding to give it to Tenten. He couldn't throw it away – that would be a criminal waste. And he didn't want the half-filled jar lying there, because then Hinata, or whichever Hyuuga had given it to him would realize he had used it – which was unacceptable, for Neji did not need the Main House to pity or help him in any way

When Neji reached the training grounds, he deliberately sat down just below the tree Tenten used for target practice, and began to meditate. He heard her footfalls a few minutes later as she entered the training grounds.

Tenten made an exasperated sound, and Neji opened his eyes, feeling slightly amused.

"Are you sadistic, Neji? Do you want me to chuck weapons at you again?" she asked, brown eyes narrow.

"Hn," Neji smirked at her, and this seemed to infuriate her further.

"Oh quit the monosyllabic replies, Neji, seriously," she said, irritated. Neji was surprised he was letting her get away with that comment – no one spoke to him that way. However, for inexplicable reason he found her fury amusing.

"My whole body is freaking aching from yesterday, and I really REALLY want to do some actual _useful _ninja training, not all that pointless spinning upside down with bandages thing Gai-sensei made us do yesterday. So please, will you just _move_, or I swear I'll start using my weapons," Tenten threatened.

Neji glared at her.

"Hit me, and you will regret it," he said, before closing his eyes, feeling rather satisfied.

"What?" Tenten cried, "What do you mean? This is _my _target practice spot, why can't you meditate somewhere else Neji?"

She almost seemed like she was pouting, and it amused him further. Neji's lips quirked, ever so slightly.

"I'm not stopping you, Tenten," he said softly, eyes still closed.

"But – what are you saying? I can't practice when you're sitting under the target, and _you _said I will regret it if I hit you-"

"Come on Tenten," Neji said, cracking one white eye open. "Do you have so little faith in your accuracy?"

"Wait – you mean – you – but that's dangerous! You said so yourself yesterday!"

"It would be," Neji nodded, "If you were a moron lacking any directional sense or aim. Are you, Tenten?"

He wondered why he was teasing her – and why he was _enjoying _it, but continued nevertheless.

Tenten seemed shocked as well, when the fact that he was possibly _teasing _her registered in her mind.

"Oh – okay, fine," she said, flushing slightly. "Is that a challenge?"

"Hn," Neji smirked again, closing his eyes. It was reckless, but he'd seen her so many times. The girl had perfect aim, so Neji knew he was in no danger. He kept his Byakugan activated though, just in case.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Two kunai and one shuriken embedded themselves into the target above Neji's head. He smiled inwardly, before blocking her out completely and lapsing back into his meditation, not even slightly concerned by the fact that a girl was hurling lethal objects just inches above his head.

He trusted her. Or, he trusted her aim at least.

Tenten in the the meanwhile, feeling slightly flattered by the fact that Neji trusted her aim to such an extent, commenced her target practice with enthusiasm, though she was slightly more careful than usual, her throws slightly slower.

After that day, it became quite a common routine; Neji would meditate under the tree with the targets and the dummy, while Tenten would fire away weapon after weapon above him. It didn't distract either of them. In fact, it was mutually beneficial. Neji had to concentrate harder on his meditation to block out the sound of metal scraping wood, the whoosh of air when a weapon whizzed past his ear, far too close for comfort, the slightly annoyed sounds Tenten made when a weapon went half a centimetre off target. And Tenten had to make sure her aim really was perfect, lest she accidentally maim the boy sitting below her targets.

He thrust the ointment into her hands later that day as well. She'd seemed rather surprised, but extremely grateful, and thanked him. He didn't reply, offering her no explanation as to why he was giving it to her.

She'd paused for a moment before they parted ways.

"I'm going to eat," she said, leaving the offer unspoken, but Neji understood nonetheless.

He was inclined to join her – after all, he'd be able to avoid Hiashi and Hinata that way. But she hadn't actually _asked _him, maybe she'd just been informing him of the fact, and he thought it may be rather awkward even if he did go with her, so he just nodded in response, before turning around and walking off.

Tenten watched him for a moment, before turning around herself and heading towards the Ramen stall. He wasn't being rude – Neji was just like that, she knew. And she hadn't exactly invited him this time. But still, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed. She'd been happy after he'd given her the ointment, something uncharacteristically generous and caring of him. She wondered if that meant they were friends – it was a question that plagued her often in regards to Neji. She admired him, and wanted to consider him a friend. She just couldn't help but wonder what his feelings were about the matter, if he harboured any at all. Neji was not completely unreadable, but he displayed very subtle signs, and Tenten didn't know if she was misinterpreting them or not.

As a matter of fact, Neji did consider her a friend, somewhere within him, though he didn't acknowledge it. Perhaps Tenten had noticed, perhaps she had not – she was actually quite perceptive. It would probably just take time, and being grouped together on a three-man squad, they had all the time in the world.

– X –

The next evening, after practice, Gai insisted on a team dinner.

"My treat," he said, and Lee beamed at him. Even Tenten cracked a smile, though Neji's face remained as hard as ever. Though he'd initially found the team dinners highly aggravating, he was now rather indifferent towards the whole affair – perhaps he was warming up to them, ever so slightly.

Fifteen minutes later they were crammed into a small booth, Neji and Tenten sitting opposite from Lee and Gai. Neji hated sitting in confined places – it violated his sense of personal space. Tenten's bare arm would brush against his when they ate, and the cloth of her pants brushed against his bandaged leg. It didn't make him feel as uncomfortable as usual though. He couldn't move away, but found he really didn't care that much.

Neji munched on his rice-balls in silence, as Lee gobbled them down in rapid succession across from him. Most of the conversation was held between Lee, Tenten and Gai. Neji responded in monosyllables if asked anything. Lee, apart from passionate declarations of rivalry, didn't speak to him much anyway, even on a daily basis.

"Team," Gai announced suddenly, banging his palms on the table.

Neji saw Tenten roll her eyes – like him, she probably expecting some kind of melodramatic speech or something similarly ludicrous. Gai seemed to be in that kind of a mood, and his eyes were sparkling disturbingly.

"I have good news for you all," Gai said, and the trio waited with bated breath. Neji and Tenten were both inwardly praying that it didn't involve spandex, squirrels or sunsets, all three of which had become pretty much taboo for the both of them after several bad experiences.

"I've entered you three in the Chuunin Selection Exams!" Gai said.

There was silence for a moment, before Lee wrapped his arms around Gai, sobbing his thanks.

Even Tenten smiled to herself, and Neji couldn't help but feel just a bit excited. He'd get to meet powerful opponents during the exams, he was sure of that. And he'd progress to Chuunin.

Neji had really wanted to become Chuunin, ever since Hinata had graduated from the Academy a couple of months back. It was demeaning for him to be on the same level as her. Neji didn't know much about Hinata's team, except that she had a female sensei, a dog-loving Inuzuka and a bug-loving Aburame on her team. Neji preferred his team, and couldn't help but feel they were superior in comparison. It was the first time he'd felt anything close to pride for Gai, Lee, and even Tenten – though it wasn't as much pride as it was a sense of preponderance.

– X –

That next day, their training lasted longer than usual. Spurred by the news of the upcoming exams, Neji, Tenten and Lee had all resolved to train harder, and the sky was dark when they finally finished. It was eight o clock. Gai had dashed off to challenge Kakashi to some ridiculous bet, and Lee had followed him like a loyal puppy. Neji and Tenten, however, had remained at the training ground. Neji was meditating – for some reason, he didn't feel like going back to the compound that night. He didn't know why, but it was quite peaceful that night, and he found meditating in the forest was far more effective than doing it at the compound. Tenten, for some reason, hadn't left either, and was currently standing a few feet away from him, casually throwing a few kunai at the target above his head. It was late at night, and they were alone, even though they'd finished their rigorous training; for some reason, it wasn't awkward though, and it didn't bother either of them. The forest was silent, except for the occasional thunking noises when Tenten's weapons hit their mark. Both the targets and the dummy vaguely resembled giant pincushions, considering the number of kunai sticking out of them.

"Hey!" a sudden familiar voice called, breaking the silence. "Hey! Did you hear?"

Lee sped into the clearing, leaning against the tree Neji was sitting under. Tenten looked at him curiously, and even Neji had opened his eyes. Lee continued, without waiting for a response.

"For the first time in five years, there are going to be rookies in this Chuunin Exam!" Lee said breathlessly.

Tenten raised an eyebrow, flipping a kunai in her hand.

"No way!" she said, but Lee nodded fervently.

It was odd for such a thing to happen; even Team Gai, despite having a nearly perfect mission success rate and above-average taijutsu skills had waited for an extra year. Gai had held them back from the exam, and though Neji and Lee had been disappointed at the time, they realized it made sense. They had grown a lot in the past year. Entering naïve newbies who had just graduated from the academy and barely masted skills like water-walking – it seemed almost ridiculous.

Neji frowned slightly – did that mean that Hinata was entering as well? Impossible – she would surely fail, and no sensei was foolish enough to enter someone as weak as her. Frankly, Neji wondered why she even bothered with the profession of a shinobi. Clan pressure, probably. He'd heard that the batch below them had a talented bunch of kids – the children of the old Ino-Shika-Cho trio, as well as the sole surviving Uchiha. But yet, they were inexperienced, and though Neji thought it would be interesting to watch these other clan kids fight, he also thought it would be a pointless waste of time.

"It's probably some stubborn Jounins in competition or something," Tenten muttered, and Neji nodded in agreement, thinking of Gai and his Eternal Rival, Kakashi.

"No, the story is that three of them are the students of Kakashi," Lee said, and Tenten perked up.

Neji raised an elegant eyebrow – Kakashi Hatake was well-respected even amongst the Hyuuga. Hiashi had been slightly disappointed when he had found out he'd been assigned a team. Though Hiashi didn't care that much about Neji, and had no hopes for Hinata, he'd been desiring that Kakashi stay a few more years without a team, so that perhaps Hanabi would have a chance with him. But now, Kakashi had a team, and Neji couldn't help but feel slightly smug that Hanabi's chances were ruined, though he was curious to know which three genin he'd been assigned. Neji suspected the Uchiha was one of them.

"That sounds interesting," Neji murmured aloud.

"Yes," Tenten said, flinging a kunai above his head, "But in the end…"

Thunk. The kunai met its mark, as usual.

Neji smirked.

"You have to feel sorry for them," he finished for her.

"That you do," Lee said. "It is foolish, entering them in! This kind of thing requires hard work and training, and that requires time."

"Is your cousin entering?" Tenten asked Neji.

She knew about Hinata of course, and a little about the animosity between the Main House and the Branch House. Neji had told her about it a month back when she asked why he glared at Hinata whenever they saw each other. He hadn't revealed too much (nothing about his father) but only that there was a rift in the clan, and Neji had a grudge against his uncle and hence, Hinata. Personally, Tenten pitied the girl. Hinata had seemed like quite an innocuous, gentle little creature, and Neji could be intimidating.

Neji stiffened at the question – he'd been wondering the same thing.

"For her sake, I'd hope not," he spat. "She's pathetic."

Tenten realized she'd hit a sore spot, having temporarily forgotten about Neji's dislike, and immediately changed the topic.

"I wonder what we have to do. I bet they'll have a written test, as well as an actual demonstrational component where we have to fight…" she mused aloud.

"I hate written tests!" Lee moaned, and Tenten continued.

"Or they could test us on individual components and jutsu by making us do tasks like at the academy…"

Neji was sufficiently distracted by this.

"That's unlikely," he countered, "Since people pass even if they can't do all kinds of jutsu," his eyes flicked to Lee for a moment. "I think you're right about the written part and the hands-on fighting though. They'll probably have some sort of a league or tournament. I wonder how many people pass though…"

"I guess it depends on the number of participants," Tenten said, before looking to Lee who was banging his fist against the tree.

"I hate written tests!" Lee wailed.

"Shut up, Lee!" Tenten scolded, "We're not even sure if there is one, we're just speculating! And you'll manage, trust me! All you have to do is write about the techniques and jutsus that you use in real life. It should be easy now that you've actually done it all!"

"Unless they test us on complex theory, though I doubt they will," Neji said.

The conversation continued on for another half an hour. It was one of those rare occasions when Neji, Tenten and Lee actually spent time together when they weren't actually training or being compelled by Gai. Neji found that talking to his teammates wasn't actually that bad – it was almost amicable, and he found himself tolerating even Lee (who was far more tolerable without Gai's presence).

When he headed home later that night, after parting ways with Lee and Tenten, Neji felt a brimming sense of anticipation towards the exams. He'd master his Gentle Fist techniques, and then he'd show Hiashi (who would undoubtedly come to watch, despite everything – his duty as a clan head required him to) as well as the rest of the Hyuuga how talented he really was.

Neji found himself hoping that Tenten would do well too – even Lee for that matter, though they were apparently 'rivals'; after all, if he and Tenten passed, and Lee didn't, they'd never hear the end of his whining and moaning.

At the end of it, they were a team, and as much as Neji wanted to deny it, he was slowly, gradually warming up to them, even if he didn't show it.

– X –

**End of Part 1**

_A/N – I hope you enjoyed this so far. Please please drop by a review! Part 2 will include the Chuunin Exam and the Rescue Sasuke arc bits, and perhaps a bit extra._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N – Next chapter is here! Sorry for the delay, I was rather busy._

_Oh and I noticed a little mistake I made in the first chapter – Neji's Byakugan vision was far too great – he actually only had a 50 m range, or less when he started out! Oh well, for the sake of the story I guess it's okay… sorry if that bothered anyone (though no one seems to have picked it up, and if they did they were nice enough not to comment)_

_Disclaimer – Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-san, not I._

**Neji Gaiden – Part 2**

– X –

"Neji."

Neji stopped in his tracks, turning around and inclining his head downwards as Hyuuga custom dictated.

"Hiashi-sama," he replied, wondering why the man had spoken to him. He was on his way to training – their last training session before the Chuunin exams.

"I heard that your team is entering the Chuunin exams?"

_Why is he asking if he already knows? _Neji thought to himself, but nodded in response.

"Yes."

"I see," Hiashi said, pursing his lips. "Even Hinata's team is entering."

Neji's fists involuntarily clenched, his expression hardening, and he hoped Hiashi hadn't noticed. Fortunately, Hiashi seemed preoccupied, and did not.

"For the sake of the clan, I expect nothing but satisfactory performance on your part," Hiashi said sternly, before turning around and sweeping out. "Make the Hyuuga proud, Neji."

Neji wanted to retort angrily to this. Why the hell should he do anything for the clan? The damned clan had done nothing but incarcerated him, ostracized him, caused him unbearable agony when they tore his father away from him. If he fought, it was for himself, and maybe even for his team. Neji would rather perform well for Tenten, Lee and Gai, than his clan.

And Hinata – Neji couldn't believe she was entering. It enraged him, but he consoled himself that she would probably be knocked out in the first few rounds, for sure.

When Neji stalked into training grounds that morning, Lee and Tenten were already there, doing their respective warm-ups. He soon joined them, feeling too irked to meditate at the time. The training session was relatively easy – Gai didn't want to wear them out the day before the exams, so they just warmed up and did some basic exercises and easy sparring. Neji teamed up with Tenten, preferring her over Gai and Lee. It was the first time they'd ever split into duos for taijutsu sparring, and though Neji preferred doing things individually, she would be far more tolerable than the other two green beasts.

They fought for about twenty minutes, mainly just going through the moves and positions, Neji's palms whipping out as he spun around, and Tenten lashing out with her fists and kicking, in a style similar to (but more graceful) than Lee's. She added a few lazily thrown shuriken to the scuffle, not being able to control the urge, but Neji batted them away easily with his hands. When they finished, they were panting slightly, but feeling warmed up more than anything.

"That's enough for the day," Gai said, "I think it's time you three strategize now. I do not know what the exam will entail, and even if I did I could not reveal it to you, for that would be considered unyouthful cheating. However, I think its best you three have some sort of plan for whatever may come your way. The only thing I can tell you is that teamwork will be essential for at least the preliminary tests."

"Oh! I have an idea!" Lee said excitedly, jumping up suddenly and beckoning Neji and Tenten towards him. They approached, feeling rather wary. Lee had an expression on his face that gave them the impression what he was thinking of couldn't possibly be in _their _interest.

"I think," Lee said, lowering his voice to a conspirational whisper, despite the fact that they were alone in the clearing.

"I think we should act _weak, _and fool our opponents. Then they will think we're easy to defeat, and once they make that mistake, we will dazzle them with our youthfulness!"

"No," Neji said immediately, not liking the idea of appearing weak in front of anyone.

"Well, maybe we don't have to act weak," Tenten said, "But Lee does have a point. If we hide our true talents, then they won't know what to expect from us. We won't act weak, but we shouldn't immediately display our strengths either – at least, not until it's required."

Lee beamed at this, looking hopefully at Neji, who finally nodded his consent.

"Hn."

– X –

"Well, we're all here now," Tenten said, on the morning of the exam day. It was obvious that she was nervous – or perhaps it was excitement. Lee, was standing very still, obviously trying hard to suppress his bubbling excitement.

"Let's go in," Neji said, walking towards the Academy doors, Tenten and Lee following behind him.

They walked together through the passageway, climbing up a few flights of stairs until they reached two closed doors, where a crowd of shinobi had gathered. Two leaf ninja, looking a few years older than them, were standing outside of the doors, sneering at the crowd.

"Here it is," Lee said, marching towards the crowd, "Room 301."

"Wait," Neji hissed, sensing something was off. "I – this is –"

"Something's wrong," Tenten said, cottoning on, "But I can't quite tell what…"

"I think it's genjutsu," Neji told her, "But I'll need to activate my Byakugan to see through it."

"I didn't notice," Lee admitted, his shoulders drooping.

"That's okay Lee," Tenten consoled him, as Neji activated his dojutsu as imperceptibly as possible.

"This is the second floor," he said after a moment, "Room 201. They've cast genjutsu, but no one seems to able to see through it."

"Well then let's go and reveal their falsity!" Lee exclaimed, but Tenten grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

"Low profile Lee, low profile," she chided, reminding him.

"Oh yeah," Lee said sheepishly, switching back to their decided strategy. He pushed his way through the crowd, Neji and Tenten following him, before walking up to the two ninja stationed outside the door.

There was something weirdly familiar about them, but neither of them could tell what.

"We have come for the Chuunin Exam," Lee said confidently, reaching for the door handle.

Seconds later he was flying backwards, before crashing to the ground at Neji and Tenten's feet.

"Hah! You plan to take the Chuunin exam with that?" one of the ninja scoffed condescendingly.

"You should quit now," his partner added, smirking.

Neji clenched his fists, angered at their treatment of Lee. He wasn't exactly fond of the boy, but these ninja had _no _right to treat his teammate like that. Tenten seemed angry as well, but she leaned down, placing her hands on Lee's shoulders.

"Are you alright?" she asked in concern, and Lee whimpered in response.

Neji bit back a smirk at this – Lee was perfectly fine, but was obviously maintaining his feeble appearance a bit too well.

Tenten approached the shinobi next, speaking in tones far too dulcet, masking her annoyance extremely well.

"Please let us through," she fairly begged, and Neji almost smiled at her tone.

It was sickly sweet, and from what he knew of her, Tenten was obviously boiling underneath, itching to hurl a barrage of weapons at the shinobi to set them straight. But that would compromise on their strategy.

The shinobi struck at her, and Tenten flew back to join Lee on the floor.

Neji felt another flare of rage within him – how _dare _they strike Tenten! He struggled to appear calm, stopping his Byakugan from involuntarily activating. He gritted his teeth, relaxing slightly when he noticed that Tenten was also unharmed, but only pretending.

Gai had trained them much more rigorously than that – such strikes wouldn't hurt her or Lee, Neji knew that. But still, it frustrated him that they had to act so innocuous.

The two shinobi were now ranting something about the difficulty and danger of the Chuunin Exam, which Neji blocked out completely, still simmering with rage. His attention was caught, however, when three new shinobi entered the area. One of them had a particularly strong chakra signature which perked Neji's attention.

"I agree," a new voice spoke, with a tone that was as arrogant and flat as Neji's. Neji whirled around, seeing a kid with spiky ebony hair and dark eyes. There were two more kids next to him, a girl with pink hair, and a blonde boy with wearing an orange jumpsuit. Neji ignored them, however, narrowing his eyes as he focused on the dark-haired boy.

_It's the Uchiha, _he realized, a sense of ingrained aversion and rivalry towards the boy arising within him.

When the Uchiha were in their prime, they had always rivaled the Hyuuga in terms of skill, grandeur and power in Konoha. The Hyuuga had been second to the Uchiha, but considering there was only one sole survivor after the horrific massacre, the Hyuuga now prided themselves on being the most prestigious clan in Konoha. And though Neji bore no great love for his clan, he automatically considered himself superior towards the Uchiha boy. He couldn't deny that the Uchiha boy seemed to have an aura of power and grace, like Neji himself did. Neji was interested to see him fight, and moreso to fight him. He was a worthy rival, and pitting the Byakugan against the revered Sharingan should preempt an interesting match.

"You will let me pass through," the boy was speaking, his voice commanding, "And remove the surroundings cast by this genjutsu."

There were confused murmurs at this, as the bemused shinobi wondered what he was talking about. Neji nearly snorted at their idiocy – how could they even consider entering the exam if they couldn't penetrate such simple genjutsu. Lee and Tenten were still sprawled on the floor, overdoing the whole 'weak' act.

The shinobi at the doors, however, seemed impressed.

"So you noticed?" one of them asked, raising an eyebrow. The Uchiha just shot him a smug look, before turning to speak to his pink-haired teammate.

"Not bad," the shinobi continued, "But all you did was manage to see through it!"

And then suddenly, he charged at the Uchiha, he speed far to great for him to be a mere genin. The Uchiha, however, with quick reflexes slid into fighting stance, his leg whipping at the attacking shinobi.

Suddenly, there was a blur of green, as Lee leapt off the ground and intervened between the two shinobi with his inhuman speed, catching the Uchiha's foot, and that of the other shinobi with his bandaged hands.

_Damnit, _Neji thought, and he heard Tenten give a groan below him as she stood up, shaking her head.

"Idiot," she muttered, and Neji couldn't help but agree.

Lee had given himself away – only someone with great speed and great strength would be able to come in between and successfully stop such attacks.

Neji saw the pink-haired girl and the Uchiha both narrow their eyes, as Lee stepped back, taking his place next to his team.

Neji and Tenten both turned on him.

"What happened to the plan?" Neji asked, his voice hard.

"Yeah, you're the one who said we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves!" Tenten hissed.

"Well…" Lee muttered, his cheeks coloring, and his dark eyes shifted towards the pink-haired girl, a rather dazed expression taking his face.

Neji and Tenten exchanged an exasperated look, before turning to the girl Lee was staring at. She stared back, green eyes wide, obviously slightly astonished.

"Oh no…" Tenten muttered, shaking her head, and Neji sighed. They really needed Lee to focus, and having him pine after some useless kunoichi would be an unwanted distraction that would definitely affect their teamwork.

Lee strode towards the girl, still blushing.

"My name is Rock Lee," he introduced, before striking a pose, his teeth sparkling. The girl looked rather taken aback.

"You're Sakura, right? Let's go out together! I promise, I will protect you till I die!"

Neji and Tenten both heaved a sigh at this, looking at each other in resignation.

"Why is he such a moron?" Neji asked her rhetorically.

"He'll never learn," Tenten bemoaned, shrugging.

Sakura, however, shrieked in surprise. Even the Uchiha regarded Lee rather darkly, an almost unnoticeable spasm crossing his face.

"No way!" Sakura yelled, "You're lame!"

"Ouch," Tenten whispered, "That was harsh."

"Hopefully it will bring him to his senses," Neji muttered.

"You think?" Tenten asked, as they regarded Lee, whose had had dropped, a lugubrious expression on his face.

"Hey you!" Neji called suddenly, looking in the Uchiha's direction.

The boy turned around, an elegant eyebrow raised.

"What's your name?" Neji asked.

"When you want to learn someone's name you should give yours first," he replied coolly.

Neji's eyebrow twitched – how dare that rookie, that _Uchiha_ – speak to _him _in such a derisive tone?

"You're a rookie aren't you? How old are you?" he shot, his posture, voice and expression identically arrogant to the Uchiha's.

"I don't have to answer you," the Uchiha shot back.

"Hn," Neji grunted, turning around, and the Uchiha did the same. Tenten was watching them, looking rather amused, though Neji noted a slight blush on her face. He wondered why, for a moment, but then decided he didn't really care.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried suddenly, grabbing the hands of her two teammates. Sasuke seemed rather annoyed, but didn't protest. Naruto, who had been sulking with Lee, brightened slightly. "Let's go!" she said, dragging them along the hallway.

"Don't pull me," they heard Sasuke grumble as the trio disappeared.

Neji and Tenten walked off as well, but paused, turning to Lee, who was staring after the team which Neji realized was the one under Kakashi's command.

"Come on Lee, what are you doing?" Tenten asked impatiently, and Neji looked at him expectantly. Lee had an oddly determined look in his eyes.

"You guys go ahead," Lee said, his voice uncharacteristically grim. "There's something I'd like to test."

Neji shook his head, and Tenten rolled her eyes, but they decided not to bother.

"Make sure you're back on time," Neji said sharply, and they turned and left.

"He's gone after that pink-haired girl, I know it," Tenten said, once they were out of earshot.

"It's likely," Neji agreed. "He's a shinobi, he shouldn't be so easily distracted by such frivolous things though…"

"Yeah," Tenten said, her voice suddenly taking a slightly dreamy tone, "But the one with dark eyes was kind of cute…"

"What?" Neji snapped, turning to glare at her.

"What?" Tenten asked defensively, "I'm not going to pine after him, I'm just stating a fact!"

Neji glared at her harder for a moment, feeling rather annoyed – he couldn't quite understand why though, before he continued, striding though the hallway, Tenten quickly walking to catch up with him.

_I bet I could beat him in a fight, _Neji thought, overcome by a sudden urge to fight the Uchiha. _My Byakugan is far more powerful than his dojutsu, which has stemmed out from mine, as it is._

They were silent for the rest of the way, until they reached a large pair of doors that was their destination. Gai was standing outside, looking rather expectant.

"Where's Lee?" he asked when they reached him.

"He – wandered off," Tenten said vaguely, and Gai furrowed his bushy brows together.

"He should be meeting us here in half and hour," Neji supplied.

"Are you going to go look for him?" Tenten asked hopefully.

Gai nodded, looking rather disapproving of Lee's actions.

"In case I don't meet you two again, good luck," he said. "Burn with the fires of youth, and defeat all your opponents honorably. You are both skilled, and I know you have potential. And remember, teamwork is the most important."

Neji and Tenten both nodded, and Gai placed a hand on both their shoulders, kneeling down slightly. Neji had to fight his reflex to move away slightly, flinching from the contact. Gai didn't seem to notice.

"Neji. Tenten. You have both grown from since you first graduated, and I am already proud of you, whatever the outcome of this exam may be. Remember, give it your best, and become stronger than you were yesterday."

"Stronger than yesterday," Tenten murmured, smiling slightly as she repeated their motto.

"Stronger than yesterday," Neji affirmed.

Gai shot them a dazzling grin, before disappearing with a puff of smoke.

They were silent for a moment, before Tenten spoke.

"I guess we'll just wait for Lee, before entering," she said, and they walked to the side, leaning against the walls, as they surveyed the teams who had started to enter.

Quite a few teams had come for the exam, and they were slowly trickling into the hall, as Neji and Tenten surveyed them with sharp eyes.

"They look pretty tough," Tenten admitted, "And much older than us."

"Hn," Neji nodded, as a trio of three shinobi with odd forehead protectors passed by. There were little musical notes carved onto the gleaming metal – it was an unfamiliar sign.

"What village is that?" he wondered aloud, glancing at the shinobi.

"None that I've heard of or that we've studied about," Tenten said, shrugging. "I don't recognize the symbol. Hey look, there are shinobi from the Sand!" she whispered.

Another trio passed by – a boy wearing black, a blonde girl carrying what looked like a giant fan, and a pale redhead carrying a gourd strapped to his back.

Neji narrowed his eyes – the last one of the trio, who seemed about their age, had a rather distinctive chakra. He seemed dangerous, though Neji couldn't quite tell why. He was another person to keep an eye on, along with Sasuke Uchiha.

They waited for a few more minutes, surveying the teams that entered, exchanging a few hushed comments.

"I think that's the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio," Neji said, his sharp eyes catching the clan emblems on the clothing of the next group of shinobi as they entered. The fat boy was certainly an Akimichi, and the other boy had the Nara clan symbol on his jacket. The girl sported the signature high ponytail of the Yamanaka clan.

"Oh, they're a year below us, right?" Tenten asked.

"Hn. What's keeping that idiot?"

"I don't know – hey Neji!"

Neji turned to Tenten, who spoke, rather hesitatingly.

"Um – isn't that – your cousin?" she asked, biting her lip.

Neji's face hardened, as he sighted Hinata heading in their direction, along with a boy with sunglasses and another boy with a white puppy.

He pointedly looked away when she neared, and Hinata and her team passed by without a word.

Tenten was observing him rather warily, but chose not to say anything. She knew Neji's family was a touchy topic with him – but it was always better to warn him, lest Hinata walk up to him and try speaking to him in public.

"Lee – should be here soon," she spoke, attempting to break the icy atmosphere that had settled around Neji upon sighting his cousin.

"Neji! Tenten!" a familiar voice shouted at that moment, and Lee raced towards them, panting slightly.

"Lee!" Tenten scolded, rounding on him. "Where the hell have you been?"

"You're late," Neji snarled, "Let's go in."

"Sorry," Lee mumbled, staring into the distance, before Tenten yanked him inside.

They were greeted by an alarming number of shinobi, but sticking to their original strategy of melting in, they settled into the crowd, Tenten and Neji standing on Lee's either side, keeping an eye on him so that he wouldn't scamper off again.

Neji's eyes flickered over the teams, resisting the temptation to turn on his Byakugan so he could survey their chakra flow and ascertain their abilities. The sheer number didn't intimidate him – he was pretty sure he would be able to defeat most of them in combat.

A few minutes later there was a loud commotion – Neji noticed Kakashi's team had entered. The blonde loudmouth was hollering something asinine, until the pink-haired girl clamped her hands around his mouth, looking rather murderous. The Uchiha looked exasperated, and Neji noticed most of the leaf rookies were gathered together. The entire crowd was staring at them, however, and Sakura was sputtering out some sort of an apology.

A grey-haired man intervened, speaking to the rookies, and Neji soon tuned out entirely, waiting impatiently for the exam to commence.

– X –

_A written test, _Neji thought, eyes flicking around the large classroom. He saw Tenten, poised with a pencil in hand, staring determinedly at the piece of paper in front of her, a few seats away from him.

Lee, on the other hand, was clutching his shiny black locks, looking rather frustrated.

_I'm pretty sure Tenten will manage well enough, but it's Lee I'm worried about. As long as he gets at least one thing correct, we're safe. _

Neji listened carefully as Ibiki gave the instructions. Neji found it odd how much he was accentuating the part about cheating; they would lose points if they cheated, and there were a maximum number of times they could get caught before disqualification. To Neji, it almost seemed like they were – encouraging them to cheat.

"Begin," Ibiki boomed, and there was a rustle of papers as the genin started on their tests.

Neji narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the questions. He may manage one or two of them. Tenten would almost definitely get the one about weapon projectiles and aiming angles. But the one about the code was nearly impossible to decipher. So were the complex ones about chakra networks; Neji doubted even Gai would be able to answer that one. It was medic-nin level.

His white eyes roved over the room, to the Chuunin who were seated around the desks, clipboards in hand, making a few marks at intervals. They were catching those who cheated, Neji realized.

Then it hit him, like a bolt of electric chakra, what they had to do. They _had _to cheat. The purpose of the exam wasn't to test intelligence – it was to test information-gathering skills! That's why the difficulty level of the questions was so impossibly high!

Neji turned his head slightly, looking in Tenten's direction. Her eyes met his, and she nodded slightly. She had understood. Neji inclined his head in Lee's direction, and Tenten nodded again, tilting her pencil towards herself. She'd take care of it.

Satisfied, Neji returned to his own paper, pausing slightly. There was a steady tapping of a pencil on paper. It was coming from the man two seats ahead of him.

"Byakugan," Neji whispered, peering at the man's back. He could see through him. All the answers to the test were written neatly on the paper, positioned in a place that Neji could view them clearly. It was perfect, and Neji picked up his own pencil, and began jotting down the answers.

After a few minutes, he was finished; well before time. He turned to see Tenten scribbling away at her paper. He watched her carefully. She'd pause every few moments, holding her pencil straight, and tilting it slightly. Neji watched closer, and realized that she'd attached razor wires from the back of her pencil to the shiny panels of the ceiling. By shifting her pencil, she could adjust the panels so that they reflected the answers off of another shinobi's paper. Neji shifted his gaze to Lee, whose glance kept darting upwards, towards the panels which Tenten had positioned so he could see them. He'd nod every few moments, and Tenten would start writing again, before shifting the panel.

Neji watched her for a few more moments, before turning back to his own paper, feeling rather content with his team's performance, and secretly grateful to Tenten. He didn't know how Lee would have managed otherwise.

Quite a few teams were being disqualified on the basis of cheating. Surprisingly, Neji noticed that Hinata's team was still in the test. So was that Uchiha's. It bothered him; but he was sure they'd fail sooner or later. Hinata certainly would, worthless and weak as she was.

"Now we will begin the tenth question!" Ibiki barked when their time had elapsed. Neji noticed a lot of the shinobi in the room tense up. Tenten didn't seem nervous though; she'd finished all her other answers about ten minutes ago. Lee looked rather excited.

"Now before we get to it," Ibiki growled, "I'd like to go over the added rules for the last question."

_Added rules, _Neji wondered, _what is he going on about?_

"First for this tenth question, you must decide whether you want to take it or not!"

There was a series of gasps at this, and one of the shinobi, the blonde kunoichi from the Sand, spoke up, her voice shrill.

"Choose? What happens if we choose not to?" she asked frantically, voicing the question that the rest of the shinobi in the room were too intimidated by Ibiki to ask.

"You fail," Ibiki said, and a resounding silence filled the room at his menacing words. "Along with your two teammates. If you choose not to answer the tenth questions, your points will be reduced to zero."

There was an outbreak of shouts at this, and Ibiki ploughed on, ignoring them.

"And now, the other rule…" he murmured, and the classroom fell quiet once again. "If you choose to take it, and answer incorrectly… then you will lose the right to ever take the Chuunin Selection Exam again!"

The class exploded at this, the shinobi both indignant and panicked.

Tenten was biting her lip, obviously very worried, and Lee's eyes were squeezed shut.

_This is ridiculous, _Neji thought, struggling to stay calm, _there has to be a catch!_

He'd heard of Ibiki before, from the Hyuuga. He was a Special Jounin, and one of the best interrogators Konoha had. Neji knew this, because Ibiki had been the man interrogating the Cloud ninja after the entire affair with his father years ago.

_He's probably trying to intimidate us into giving up, _Neji thought to himself. _I don't think what he's saying actually holds, because there are people who have taken the exam multiple times. And the Leaf cannot stop shinobi from other villages re-entering. That would inflict political tensions between the villages, and the main purpose of the exam, apart from selecting Chuunin, is for the villages to come together peacefully and assert their power. He's probably just trying to torture us mentally – after all, that is his forte._

"Now those who don't want to take the question, raise your hand!" Ibiki shouted, and there was a pause, after which a number of hands raised tremulously in the air. There were groans, glares, curses and scowls, as groups of ninja slouched out of the room, their shoulders hunched.

Neji was fairly certain that he'd surmised Ibiki's true intentions. He was taking the question, that was for sure. He turned in Tenten's direction yet again, his white eyes meeting her frantic brown ones. She seemed distraught, and was obviously looking to him to help her make a decision; for the sake of their team.

Neji nodded ever so slightly, at her.

_Don't give up. Take the question._

Tenten raised her eyebrows, looking at him incredulously.

_Are you sure?_

Neji stared at her hard.

_Trust me._

Tenten sighed heavily, running a hand through her brown bangs, but then nodded at him.

_Okay._

She was tentative, he could tell, as she relayed the message onto Lee, who looked ever more frantic. But they weren't going to give up. Neither Tenten nor Lee raised their hands, and after yet another outburst from that loudmouthed blonde, Ibiki decided to continue.

"Good decisions," he told them suddenly drop his grin demeanor, "To those still remaining. I congratulate you on passing the first test!"

Neji smirked, glancing over at Tenten, who looked both relieved and thrilled, though slightly confused.

_I told you._

She smiled at him, and despite the fact that all the other Leaf rookies had passed as well, Neji couldn't help but feel rather content.

– X –

The second task, Neji soon learnt, was going to take place in ANBU Practice Arena 44.

Lee and Tenten both stiffened beside him when they learnt of this.

The practice arena was one which even most Jounin avoided (though Neji suspected Gai must have gone there at least once a year for his crazy training regimes; as long as he didn't take _them _in, it was all fine). It was more commonly known as the 'Forest of Death'.

"Not a very – inviting venue," Tenten mumbled, sounding exceedingly nervous.

The examiner, Anko, was handing out forms.

"If I don't have you sign these, if you die it will be my responsibility," she explained cheerfully.

Neji snatched three forms before Tenten and Lee could say anything, handing one to each of his teammates.

Lee took it, and so did Tenten, though with evident trepidation.

"She – she really means that doesn't she? That – there will be deaths," she said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure there are ANBU guarding it," Neji told her. "Whatever they may say, Konoha won't want casualties. It will affect the political scenario with the other villages, if their genin die in our exam. And I don't think anyone here even has the capacity to kill."

"That – does make me feel better," Tenten admitted gratefully. "But still… there's all sorts of monstrous beasts in there!"

"Like man-eating snakes," Lee piped up, "And huge, blood-sucking squirrels!"

Neji shot him a withering glare at the last part, shaking his head.

"Stop talking nonsense, and sign the form," he said shortly, as Anko proceeded to explain the rules of the test.

They entered the tent later, where they were handed a Heaven scroll. Neji took it, pocketing it almost immediately.

"Um – Neji, hold on a sec," Tenten said, reaching into the belt wear her weapon scrolls were secured.

"Transform," she muttered, and with a poof, one of them transformed so it looked exactly like the Heaven scroll. She held it towards Neji.

"Switch?" she asked, gesturing at the bulge in his pocket, where the top part of the scroll was peeping out.

Neji hesitated for a moment, but then realized she was right. Any enemy would probably be able to see that he had the scroll. This way, they could at least fool them. And Tenten wasn't like Lee. She'd be careful with it.

He pulled out the scroll, handing it to her, and Tenten slipped it onto her belt, where it was camouflaged with all her other scrolls. Neji slipped Tenten's scroll into his pocket, making sure that the color was visible. This way, it was more likely that enemies who had the scroll they wanted would target them.

"Smart idea," he told her, as Lee watched, looking bewildered.

"So who has the actual scroll?" he asked, "Neji or Tenten?"

"Never mind that," Neji said impatiently, before Tenten could explain. "Let's go."

They chose gate 41, after Lee's insistence, since their training field was also number 41.

"It's for good luck," Lee said, beaming at them, and Neji scoffed at him while Tenten rolled her eyes. They stood at the gate, and Neji could feel the adrenaline racing through his body.

"Gai-sensei, I'll do my best!" Lee promised aloud, pumping his fist.

"We need a strategy," Neji said quickly, his voice low. "And since we're going to be here for days, I think we need to find food first, when all the others are fighting. Avoid conflict during daytime, since that's when the others are going to be on the hunt. We can use our superior speed to escape any possible battle, and scavenge food and water for the following few days so we don't waste time later. And then at night, when the others are resting and have their guards down, we can attack."

"You're right," Tenten nodded.

"What a youthful plan," Lee said excitedly.

"Make sure you stick to it," Neji told him. "We'll stay together for the first part, and try to gain as much ground as possible, while the others are busy fighting. We can split up later, at night, if necessary."

"Sounds good to me…"

"Okay!"

A few minutes later, Anko's voice could be heard, signaling the start of the exams.

"C'mon!" Neji said, but Lee held him back.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Lee cried, sticking his hand out, "We forgot our Team Cheer!"

Neji gave him a stern look.

"Lee, not right now!" Tenten begged, "This is serious!"

"It will take five seconds!" Lee persisted resiliently, "And it will help boost our morale!"

"Lee, just leave it!" Tenten hissed, but Lee stood rooted at the spot.

Neji glared at him. Lee stared determinedly back, his hand outstretched.

Tenten stared at them both for a moment, before sighing and placing her hand on Lee's.

"Neji," she muttered, turning to him. Neji glowered at her. She wasn't supposed to fall for Lee's puerile tricks!

"We're wasting time, and you know how Lee is! Just do it!" Tenten snapped at him, obviously as annoyed with the situation as he was.

Neji relented, laying his hand on Tenten's, as Lee cheered loudly.

"For YOUTH!"

Seconds later, they were off, leaping from branch to branch with their superior speed.

Things were relatively calm, and they were able to gather all their supplies without being sighted or attacked even once, mainly thanks to Neji's Byakugan and their speed. He could spot enemies in the vicinity before they were spotted themselves, and with their fast speed they were able to escape before they ran into any trouble.

They gathered that evening, as the sky darkened, underneath a large tree.

"The sun should be down in an hour," Neji said, tossing a kunai between his fingers, unconsciously mimicking his female teammate, "Most teams are resting. Let's attack during this period as planned. First let's split up and spend thirty minutes scouting the area – _just _scouting. But whether you find another team or not, we return here in thirty minutes. Got that?" he finished, hurling the kunai into the ground to mark their meeting spot.

"Okay," Tenten said, nodding.

"Roger!" Lee shouted, holding his palm out again.

"Alright," Neji said, smirking slightly, "Go!"

They leapt up, speeding off in different directions. Neji had been scouting for less than ten minutes when he came across the first team – three figures, cowering in the grass, obviously hiding.

"Come out from there," Neji demanded, and he saw the three hunched figures flinch.

_Cowards, _he thought disdainfully, surveying them as they emerged, trembling.

It was the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Neji was surprised to see the heirs of three such prestigious clans (though not as much as the Hyuuga, obviously) cringing like fearful civilians, rather than ninja. They obviously wouldn't be able to live up to the legend of their fathers.

"Oh… you guys," he muttered.

The three genin suddenly brightened up, plastering starry-eyed and saccharine sweet expressions on their faces. Neji narrowed his eyes.

"Oh my!" the blonde girl squealed, clasping her hands together as she stared at Neji adoringly. Neji had to resist the urge to palm-strike her simpering face.

"I never thought I'd meet last years number one rookie, Neji Hyuuga!"

Her tone was flirtatious, and reminded him of his fan-girls. He detested it. Though he could tell she was obviously pretending – her voice was strained, and far too high-pitched to be genuine.

"Can I get your autograph!" the boy next to her, the Nara boy, asked, looking rather constipated as he attempted to look admiringly at Neji.

Neji snorted.

The girl then reached up, loosening her blonde hair, as she batted her eyelashes at him.

"I've always wanted to – get to know you better," she said suggestively, her long hair waving behind her.

Neji was unaffected – or rather, disgusted. She was really acting like a fangirl now, even though he knew it was just pretence.

"Get lost," he said, sneering, before he turned around and ambled off.

He saw the girl shaking her fist at him from the back of his head, looking rather murderous. Her companions just looked exasperated.

"Hey," he called, his back still turned to the trio. "Does the fact that you are shaking your fist at me mean you want to fight me?"

The trio looked shocked.

"No!" the girl said, attempting to laugh it off, "Of course not!"

Neji quickly scanned his eyes over their weapon pouches. He finally saw the scroll, inside the Nara's pocket. It was the Heaven scroll though. They wouldn't need that.

Neji considered defeating the team, just to eliminate them but then decided against it. Why waste chakra on such pathetic cockroaches? They'd probably be eliminated sooner or later anyways.

"Then leave," he said viciously, "Taking a scroll off cowards like you will only make me the laughing stock of the village."

"Yes!" they chimed together, leaping into the bushes.

Neji shook his head. They were rather ludicrous, the three of them. Nothing in comparison to the old Ino-Shika-Cho he'd heard stories about. Even Hiashi seemed to harbor respect for _them. _But there was no way Neji had any respect for their children, at least from what he'd seen. Unless they were feigning uselessness, as had been Team Gai's original strategy. That would be a different case altogether.

Neji scouted around a bit longer, but couldn't find any other teams, so he headed back towards their meeting spot, yanking out the kunai buried in the ground.

Tenten arrived a few seconds later, leaping down in front of him from the trees.

"Hey," she greeted, and he nodded at her, tossing her the kunai.

Tenten caught it deftly, raising an eyebrow, before she proceeded to twirl it around her finger by habit.

Neji smiled slightly.

"So it _is _you," he replied.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused, as she continued to play with the weapon between her fingers.

Neji nodded towards it.

"I had to check to make sure you weren't an imposter. And only the real you would play around with a weapon like that, Tenten."

"Y-yeah," she agreed, flushing slightly. "Did you find anyone?"

"That pathetic rookie team," Neji replied, "Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka. But they have the same scroll as we do. You?"

"Oh," Tenten said, sounding disappointed. "I – ran into your cousin's team, actually. They found me first though – Hinata's Byakugan – but they have the same scroll as we do too. Hinata told me."

"She might have been lying," Neji said, though he highly doubted his naïve cousin was capable. Still, he would always suspect the Main House. "She might have said that because she knew you were _my _teammate, and she wouldn't want to fight _me_."

"No, she showed it to me," Tenten said firmly, "And she saw mine herself, obviously. Though even if she had a different scroll, I doubt she'd have let her team attack us for the same reason…"

Neji muttered something along the lines of 'pathetic', but Tenten changed the subject quickly.

"Let's hope Lee has better luck!" she said, hurling the kunai back into the indentation in the ground.

They waited for a few more minutes, Neji scanning the area with his Byakugan.

"Lee sure is late," Tenten spoke up after a while.

"…"

"Strange, he's usually accurate when it comes to time," she went on, looking and sounding rather worried, "Could he have run into the enemy?"

"That's unlikely," he told her, but Tenten bit her lip, eyes wide as she considered the possibility.

"Let's go find Lee," he suggested, hoping to appease her.

Tenten nodded, eyes still clouded with worry.

"Yeah…" she agreed, and they leapt up, taking to the trees again.

"I have a feeling – he's done something incredibly stupid," Neji told Tenten as they leapt through the forest. "Meaning, he's gone looking for trouble, butted his nose in somewhere he wasn't required."

"I hope it's that," Tenten said, "I hope he's not in trouble."

"It's Lee, Tenten," Neji said, lips quirking up slightly, "He'd probably scare away the enemy ninja with his youthfulness."

Tenten laughed softly, surprised that Neji had actually cracked a joke about something.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Either that or he's doing one of his training lessons in the middle of the forest, the idiot…" she giggled.

Neji, though not usually one for dry humor, decided he preferred a smiling, laughing Tenten to a tense, worried one.

"Yeah, he's probably doing his two-hundredth push-up right now," Neji muttered, "In punishment for not being able to find any teams…"

Tenten laughed again, and they headed through the forest together, before Neji suddenly stopped, landing firmly on a tree trunk. Tenten landed beside him, looking at him questioningly.

"There's a bunch of ninja – at least nine or ten of them – a few meters away in a clearing. I can't tell what's going on, but I don't want us to be seen. Come on…"

They made their way quietly through the trees, stopping on a high tree branch above the clearing. They were pretty well hidden from sight, but they could see what was happening below pretty well. Neji crossed his arms, as Tenten crouched down next to him, gripping the hard bark.

"It's those rookies again," Tenten whispered, "A couple of them have passed out though. And those Sound ninja again… and Lee! Neji, it's Lee!"

Tenten gasped, staring at Lee's limp form. "What have they done to him?"

"Tenten, he's alright. He's just fainted from exhaustion," Neji said quickly, scanning Lee with his Byakugan.

"What an idiot," Tenten whispered, relief evident in her voice. "What the hell happened here?"

"Some minor Sound nins bullying these second rate ninja and declaring victory," Neji answered carelessly, feeling slightly irked by Tenten's concern for Lee. He didn't know why, but to him it seemed like she was slightly overdoing it. After all, Lee was at fault. He'd probably done something stupid and jeopardized their entire team.

The clearing below was littered with fallen tree trunks and kunai. The Sound ninja, however, seemed to have detected Neji and Tenten's presence, and looked up.

"They just keep coming like cockroaches," one of them jeered.

Neji narrowed his eyes, his jaw tight.

"Lee…" Tenten murmured, as the fainted boy on the ground shifted slightly.

"You made a mistake," Neji said icily, "That knocked out freak is from _our _team and…"

Neji reactivated his Byakugan, clenching his fists.

"You're going to pay for that!" he snarled threateningly.

He turned to Tenten, who nodded at him, her brown eyes flashing in determination.

"No one messes with _our _teammate," she added.

"If you are going to go any further," Neji informed the Sound ninja, a tone of warning in his voice, "We're going all out."

_Damnit Lee! _He cursed inwardly. _Now Tenten and I will have no choice but to reveal our techniques to them! You moron!_

Suddenly, Neji felt a flare of chakra from below. He peered down, white eyes wide, as he saw dark, bubbling chakra swirl around a figure that lay collapsed not far from Lee. It was Sasuke Uchiha he realized.

"Huh?" Neji said aloud.

"What's going on?" Tenten asked.

Sasuke stood up, black and purple chakra encircling his figure, as oddly shaped black patterns crept up his skin.

_What the hell is this? I've never seen anything like it! _Neji thought. The chakra seemed dark – malevolent almost. He hadn't heard anything about the Uchiha having such chakra.

Sasuke was now staring at his pink-haired teammate, Sakura, who sported minor injuries, exchanging a few words with her before he turned his gaze on the Sound ninja. He radiated killing intent, and even Neji could feel it from his distance.

The Sound nin, however, seemed not to notice, and he yelled up at Neji and Tenten.

"Hehe! If you don't like it so much, then stop acting cool and come down here!" he demanded.

"No," Neji informed him smugly. "It seems that won't be necessary."

Though Neji still considered him an insolent brat, that Uchiha had good timing. Now he and Tenten wouldn't have to give their abilities away, or waste unnecessary chakra.

They watched in silence, as a new fight began below. Sasuke was blowing out fireballs at the Sound nin, who retaliated by creating some kind of a sound wave. The blazing chakra had disappeared, though Sasuke's skin was now fully covered with the black patterns. He soon pounced on the Sound ninja, pulling at his arm. There was a resounding crack, when he snapped it, breaking the bone.

Tenten gasped, and even Neji was taken aback. He hadn't expect Sasuke to break the ninja's bones. That had been unnecessary, and rather cruel.

"Why – why did he do that?" Tenten asked, shaking her head. "He shouldn't have."

"It's not against the rules," Neji told her, though he agreed. There was a shinobi sense of decency which they usually followed. And this wasn't a war – it was an exam. Though killing was obviously out of the question, needless injuring was bad as well.

_Still find him cute, Tenten? _Neji wondered. _This chakra is abnormal! Could the Uchiha clan really be – this strong?_

The fiasco ended a few minutes later, after Sakura hugged Sasuke and effectively ended his destructive spree, and the overwhelmed Sound nin took off. The Yamanaka girl walked towards Lee's limp form, hoisting his arm around her shoulder and supporting him as she stood up, struggling under his weight.

Lee was still unconscious.

"How long does he plan to remain that way?" Neji questioned sarcastically, shaking his head. "He's wasting our time."

Tenten made an exasperated sound, and suddenly leapt off of the tree onto the ground.

"I'll take it from here," she informed Ino, before grabbing Lee by the shoulders and shaking him furiously.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" she screeched, none too gently. "LEE!"

Neji smirked to himself. After a year of experiencing Lee's melodrama, Tenten sure knew how to deal with him suitably.

Lee did 'snap out of it' and he peered at Tenten through half-lidded eyes, his voice scratchy.

"Nnh… Tenten, why are you doing here?" he croaked.

"We came to save you," she replied, as if it were obvious.

"Hey! But – where are those Sound nins?" Lee asked, still discombobulated as he shook his head from side to side, attempting to search for them.

"That Sasuke kid drove them off," Tenten said dismissively, before rounding on him. "Why did you break the plan and act alone? Plus, you're all beaten up!" she scolded.

"Sakura was in trouble," Lee defended, "And as a man…"

Tenten rolled her eyes, and up in the tree, Neji slapped a hand to his forehead. They should have known, with Lee…

"You are _such _an _idiot!_" Tenten reprimanded him, shaking her head, and Neji agreed with her.

Lee looked guilty, as he wrapped his hands around his knees.

"Haha," he laughed feebly, "I can't argue with you there…"

"HEY!" the loudmouthed blonde in orange suddenly shouted, pointing at Lee, "BUSHY-BROW!"

Neji watched the drama unfold, as Sakura and Sasuke joined the group as well, and Lee promised something to Sakura, a lovestruck look on his face.

Tenten looked rather grumpy and annoyed, and the situation was grating on Neji's nerves as well. Lee was wasting too much time, associating with these usual rookies!

Tenten looked up, almost desperately at Neji, urging him to do something. He obliged, finally leaping down from his branch and landing amidst the group, shooting Lee his deadliest glare.

"Let's go," Neji said, with forced calm, "_Now."_

He shot Lee his deadliest glare, and Lee seemed to realize that _both _his teammates were rather annoyed with him. He hastily bade his good-bye to the rookies, before speeding off after Neji and Tenten who had already taken to the trees.

"Neji! Tenten – I – I'm sorry," he finally offered, hanging his head, when they stopped under the tree that had served as their previous meeting spot.

Tenten said nothing, eyeing Neji cautiously. His teeth were gritted, and his fists clenched; when he spoke, his voice was dangerously soft.

"Why the hell did you do it, Lee?" he finally asked.

"Sakura-san was in danger," Lee began, and Neji's eyes flashed dangerously.

"_Sakura _was in danger. _Sakura _was in danger?" he spat out her name like it was a curse word. "Some _useless, incompetent _kunoichi-"

"Sakura's not-" Lee interjected angrily, but Neji continued relentlessly, his voice shaking with barely contained fury.

"Some useless kunoichi was in danger – she's not even on our team – and you jeopardize your _life, _our _team's _chance in this Chuunin exam for her? What is she to us – _nothing! _What if you got hurt, what if you got injured so badly that Tenten and I had no chance but to forfeit? Why should we have to give up because of you and that idiotic pink-haired girl who calls herself a ninja? What if – you _died_?"

"I'm _sorry,_" Lee repeated, staring at the ground. "Neji, I-"

You _disobeyed _the plan, you gave away your techniques, you put us all in danger of being disqualified, you _wasted _our precious time – and that too, on someone as worthless and pathetic as _her_? If it were Tenten, I'd understand."

"Hey!" Tenten protested, "I don't need rescu-"

"She's our teammate," Neji continued, "And she'd never even get herself into that kind of a situation. Yet even if she did, it would be our duty to help her. But Sakura? _Sakura?"_

"I care about her, alright!" Lee burst out.

"If you actually want to fulfill your impossible dream and become a splendid ninja without ninjutsu and genjutsu, you definitely shouldn't waste your time on futile, frivolous things like _love. _You'll fail if you do."

Tenten flinched slightly at this – of course, from Neji, it should have been expected. He had a one-track mind. Things like love probably would never have a place in his life.

"Even if – even if I didn't like her like that, I'd still have saved her!" Lee cried, sounding close to tears, "Just because she's a friend. I would always help out a friend!"

"She's not even your teammate," Neji sneered, "She has Sasuke and Naruto. She never _wanted _your help, she made that clear enough!"

Lee looked wounded.

"Neji, I think you should stop-" Tenten said, but Lee interrupted her.

"Being a teammate with someone isn't everything! You and Tenten are my teammates, but I also consider you my friends! If anything happened to you, I'd save you because you're my _friends _and I care about you! Not because of the _team_, though that does play a part in it!"

"Well, this is an _exam," _Neji said coldly, "And other than Tenten and I, everyone else is an _enemy, _not a friend. They are competition, competition that you should eradicate, not help! Things like friendship don't matter, not when you want to advance and become a stronger shinobi!"

It came out wrong – Neji hadn't quite meant it that way. He saw Tenten narrow her eyes, wincing slightly at his words. But really, Neji didn't have many people he could call friends, and so he didn't understand why Lee was so passionate about the whole concept.

Lee glared at him, his fists clenched as well.

"Are you saying, that if they shuffled teams or something – and that if Tenten wasn't on your team anymore – and she was in danger – you _still _wouldn't rescue her?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Neji snapped.

"Yeah, and don't bring me into this," Tenten added, "You and Sakura have a totally different relationship from Neji and I!"

"No, tell me, Neji," Lee insisted resiliently, "If Tenten was in danger, would you risk your life, your promotion to Chuunin to save her? I'd ask about myself, but I already know the answer to that."

He sounded almost hurt towards the end, and Neji was slightly shocked.

"You're – digressing," Neji told him.

"Answer the question," Lee shot back.

Neji could feel Tenten's eyes boring into his back, waiting for an answer. He wondered himself, what he would do. The immediate answer was yes, he would save her. Tenten was his teammate, and someone he had grown to trust. But if saving her meant jeopardizing a mission or a promotion…

"Would you save her, Neji?" Lee pressed.

Neji didn't answer, grinding his teeth.

"You probably wouldn't – you're too selfish to care. You're too arrogant, all you care about is yourself! Even though Tenten would probably risk her _life _for you, and I would too, you'd never do the same for either of us-"

"I WOULD!" Neji roared, finally losing his patience. "I – would, alright! You're my teammates. Of course I would!"

Lee looked disappointed at this, and for some inexplicable reason even Tenten's face seemed to fall.

"That's what I'd expect from _you," _Lee muttered, shaking his head. "_Teammates_."

"But that's what we are! We're on the same team! We have been for a year, and we always will be!" Neji shouted, his palms now glowing with chakra, the veins around his eyes pulsing.

"You'll never get it," Lee said softly, "_You're _the one who'll fail as a shinobi."

"How dare _you _of all people-"

"Neji, just don't go there," Tenten snapped suddenly, her voice colder than usual. "Lee, now drop it, seriously. We've wasted enough time. Let's go."

She took to the trees without a word to either of them, though Neji recoiled slightly at the tone in which she said his name. If there was one thing Tenten never was, it was cold. She always spoke to him in a warm, friendly manner. Though he'd never really noticed or cared before, it struck him now.

"We need to find a team with the Earth scroll," he said, leaping forward to join her.

"If you say so," Tenten replied curtly, not meeting his eyes. Her tone was as cold as before.

Lee pulled up beside them as well, staring resolutely ahead.

"Tenten, when do you think we should rest?" he asked, directing his question specifically towards her.

"Lee, are you tired?" she asked, and Neji noted the concern in her voice.

He wondered why the hell Tenten wasn't being short with Lee. It was all Lee's fault, after all.

"I – guess I overdid it earlier," Lee admitted, sounding apologetic, "Sorry."

"It's – alright," Tenten told him gently, "Just don't do that again. I – don't think we're going to get much done tonight like this. Let's just rest."

"Thank you, Tenten," Lee said.

Neji was too preoccupied, and frustrated to argue. And she did have a point – thanks to Lee, their team dynamic was really messed up, and it was better they didn't fight anyone. They settled down on a large tree branch, after Neji scanned it with his Byakugan. It was thick enough for all three of them.

"I'll take first watch," Tenten offered, sitting with her back against the trunk, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Thanks," Lee said gratefully, "Good night."

He settled himself on a branch next to hers, curling up into a small ball.

Neji sighed to himself, feeling rather unsure what to do. Normally, he'd never feel awkward with just Tenten. But right now, he got the feeling that she was upset with him, and he had no idea why. It infuriated him, but there was no way in hell he was _asking _her about it. It was below his dignity to do such things.

"You can go to sleep," Tenten said flatly, her voice interrupting his thoughts, "I said I'd take the first watch."

_To hell with it, _Neji decided finally. He'd never argued with Tenten before. Though they weren't exactly arguing right now, her attitude was unsettling. Usually, he would have blamed her for this; she was a female after all, and hence most likely to be over-sensitive. But it was Tenten, and even Neji knew she wasn't like that.

"I'm not tired," he finally said, sitting next to her on the tree branch, carefully maintaining a foot between them.

"Okay," was all she said, turning her head upwards as she stared at the stars, barely visible beneath the thick canopy of leaves.

"Tenten," Neji spoke finally, his white eyes boring into her.

"Yes?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"You seem upset with me. What is the matter?" he asked bluntly.

Tenten raised an eyebrow, hugging her knees.

"I'm surprised you realized."

"Tenten, don't play games with me," Neji said sharply, "Just – tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing," Tenten said, "It's really nothing."

"Tell me, Tenten," he pressed, gazing into her eyes.

Tenten bit her lip, fidgeting with her fingers.

"You wouldn't understand," she said finally.

"Why would that be?" Neji asked, glaring at her.

"Leave it Neji, it's nothing to do with you," Tenten lied, and Neji narrowed his eyes.

"Don't lie to me, Tenten."

"Just forget about it, Neji. It's fine. Thanks for your concern, but I'd rather not talk about it. And no, I'm not upset with you."

She meant it this time. Tenten knew Neji – he wasn't the type to admit his feelings if he even felt any in his cold heart. But that he'd been concerned enough to ask her meant he actually cared about their relationship more than he liked to show. And for Tenten, that was enough.

"Tenten," he murmured, his white eyes silver under the moonlight that seeped through the canopy. His face was calm, opener than she'd ever seen it, and Tenten nearly felt compelled to tell him. But she didn't, smiling slightly.

"Don't worry Neji. I'm alright. Get some rest," she said, her voice gentler than before.

Neji noticed the change in tone, and though he still wanted to know what was bothering her earlier, her anger at him seemed to have abated, which was good enough.

"Wake me in three hours," he instructed her.

"Alright. Good night, Neji."

"…good night, Tenten."

– X –

It was dawn when all three members of Team Gai were fully awake. Lee had been the last to wake up – Tenten had to shake the snoozing boy for a full minute before he finally cracked his eyes open.

He bounded up, eyes wide.

"We still have to get a scroll!" he cried, "How much more time is there?"

"About two days," Tenten told him, pulling out fruits from her bag. She tossed one at Neij and Lee. "Catch!"

They quickly ate the fruit, turning to Neji, who had been silent. Neji usually was silent, but was even more quieter that day. He usually took a role similar to team leader on the squad – or at least he had during this stage of the exams. But after his previous altercation with Lee, he was feeling slightly unsure of himself. Were Tenten and Lee disappointed with him? Or angry? Tenten didn't seem to be, not after he spoke to her.

"So Neji, what's the plan for today?" Tenten asked, assuaging his doubts.

"We need a scroll," Neji said, hesitating slightly, "We're a good way inside the forest. I think we should go a bit further in. Then we'll be more likely to meet other teams."

"A sensible plan," Lee declared, and Neji felt slightly relieved. Lee never had been the type to hold a grudge, and though Neji tried to convince himself that Lee's opinion didn't matter, he didn't want tension with his teammate; that would just hinder their teamwork.

"We should go at once," Tenten said, and after they polished down the last morsels of their breakfast, the trio was off, darting through trees with a speed that would have made Gai proud.

They'd had a few unfortunate encounters with wild animals; a large snake, which Tenten immediately lacerated with a barrage of giant shuriken; a bunch of blood-sucking leeches which Neji had to bat away with his palms, feeling rather disgusted – Tenten had frozen, petrified with revulsion; and finally, a snarling giant tiger. They'd decided not to take their chances fighting this one – Lee had distracted it, and escaped with his super speed, and met Neji and Tenten a few minutes later.

"There's a reason why they call this place the forest of death!" Lee panted, after having outrun the tiger.

"Lee! You shouldn't have done that!" Tenten cried, still worried.

"But you and Neji wouldn't have been able to escape it, and only I was fast enough!" Lee protested, "And I would always save my frie – _teammates!_"

Neji's lips tightened at Lee's deliberate slip-up, but he didn't comment on it.

"Thank you, Lee," he said.

"Not a problem, my eternal rival!" Lee said, beaming at him. "Stop worrying Tenten, I'm alright!"

"You scared me, idiot!" she shrieked, mollified slightly when Lee suddenly wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight.

Really, it was more of a mauling, but Tenten patted him on the back.

"I'm sorry, Tenten!" Lee said earnestly.

"Please be more careful, Lee," she told him, and Neji felt a sudden unpleasant lurching feeling in his stomach.

Neji didn't know why, but the sight of Tenten and Lee hugging unnerved him. It was probably because physical affection, in any form, unnerved him. He preferred avoiding it altogether, and Neji decided that was the reason why his teammates hugging him bothered him as well.

"I sense enemies," he said suddenly.

Tenten and Lee pulled away at once, not looking even the slightest bit embarrassed.

"C'mon," Neji muttered, and they were on the move again.

Thirty minutes later, they were deeper into the woods. They also stumbled across a team of three from the Cloud.

Neji had stiffened when they'd recognized the symbols on the forehead protectors. Tenten had looked at him curiously, but wisely kept her mouth shut. Neji was usually a pretty private about his personal affairs, but judging by his stony expression, Tenten suspected that he harbored some sort of a grudge against the Cloud as well. He seemed to dislike his cousin Hinata, and his uncle as well, but Tenten never understood why. He'd told her some of his background – some clan-related stuff about the Branch House and the Main House, and their rigid rules and customs. Not too many details, but from his tone, Tenten had guessed that there was some estrangement between the houses; however, after sensing Neji's antagonism towards his clan, she suspected it was worse, that there was another reason for Neji's hatred of the Main House and his cousin Hinata. He'd never told her, and she'd known better than to ask. She and Neji weren't close enough for her to pry into his private affairs; she'd actually been surprised that he'd revealed even that much, even though he'd told her in a completely matter-of-fact way.

"Do they have the Earth scroll?" she asked Neji, who nodded, an almost sadistic smirk crossing his face.

He walked up to the three Cloud shinobi. They were all male, looking perhaps a year older than Team Gai. They seemed sturdy, well-built, and sneered as Neji approached them. The burliest one, who seemed like their leader walked out.

"Are you sure you kids want to challenge us?" he asked patronizingly.

"You have the scroll we want," Neji replied coolly, "So yes, we do."

The shinobi raised an eyebrow, looking slightly confused.

"How do you know that?" he asked.

"I have my ways," Neji said suavely.

"Oh, stop showing off," Tenten muttered, as she and Lee landed on either side of him. "Come on, let's get this over with…"

The shinobi peered at her for a moment, before grinning widely.

"You sure you want to endanger that poor little girly, there?

"I think she can handle herself just fine," Neji said, as Tenten scowled at him. This was the kind of chauvinistic freak she _detested. _

"I'll _skewer _him," she swore under her breath. "Just let me at him, the _pig-_"

Neji smirked, turning to her. "You can take him, Tenten," he offered, and she grinned.

"Great!"

Neji then turned to Lee.

"You take the tall one with blonde hair, I'll take the other."

"Yes!" Lee shouted, and the three of them fell into position, Neji's Byakugan activated as he spread his legs slightly, palms held out. Lee stood up straight, the back of one bandaged palm facing the trio, and Tenten crouched down in front of them both, scrolls in hand.

"What's all this?" the Cloud ninja asked mockingly, "Are you three trying to dance or something?"

He turned to his teammates, nodding.

"Let's crush 'em," he barked, and the three charged forwards, whipping out their kunai, and hurling them at the three.

Dodging them was easy for Team Gai, with their speed. Not to mention, after having trained with Tenten and her lethal aim, Neji and Lee found dodging the Cloud nin's kunai, which were relatively poorly aimed, quite simple.

The ninja seemed slightly surprised as the trio charged forwards, and they quickly formed hand seals.

Neji, Lee and Tenten were soon fusilladed by a flurry of water bombs and fire bullets, which they also managed to dodge by leaping up.

"Move!" Tenten shouted, unfurling her scroll, and Neji and Lee darted aside.

Tenten unleashed a barrage of weapons at the shinobi below, who shouted out, unable to dodge them all. Her aim was as precise as ever, and her speed even deadlier. Neji and Lee descended on their respective shinobi, and fought them hand-to-hand for a few minutes, as Tenten bought out her nunchaks, spinning them over her head.

Neji charged at his enemy, and a few palm thrusts later, the shinobi was on the ground, gasping for breath and choking out blood.

Lee and Tenten soon stopped their attacks as well. Tenten's target was lying on the ground, struggling between the chains that bound him, and Lee's was struggling for breath as he attempted to stand up, taking support of the tree he'd crashed against.

"Scroll?" Neji asked, and Lee flourished it proudly, tossing it to Neji, who pocketed it.

He nodded at Tenten and Lee, before the three of them sprung upwards without another word, headed in the direction of their final destination, the tower.

They covered a few more miles, until they were intercepted by a group of Rock ninja.

"Tenten, we need a diversion," Neji called, and Tenten nodded. They weren't going to risk fighting, not when they already had their scrolls, and were so close to their destination.

She pulled out a handful of smoke bombs, before looking meaningfully at Neji.

He understood; though his Byakugan would help him see, Lee and Tenten would require assistance. Neji formed two thick chakra threads in his hands, whipping them in Lee and Tenten's directions, so they curled around their wrists.

The moment the chakra touched her skin, Tenten immediately let loose her smoke bombs. There was a boom, and then a thick layer of smoke filled the area, obfuscating Team Gai from the shinobi's sight. Only Neji could see through the smoke, and he leapt upwards, shouting out to Lee and Tenten. They followed him, guided by the blazing chakra. Though they could not see, the muscle movements of leaping through branches were already ingrained in them, and they trusted Neji's guidance. Soon, the trio was out of the smoke, and away from the enemy.

The tower was in sight. But unfortunately, so were two more groups of shinobi, who had obviously been waiting at the spot so that they could pounce on incoming teams.

"Almost there!" Lee panted, as Neji's chakra threads dissipated. They made one last dash for the tower, pumping chakra to their legs to increase their speed.

The shinobi charged after them, and for once, Neji found himself thanking Gai for the intense physical training he'd put them through. Though Lee could have escaped the shinobi easily, he was obviously slowing down so that Neji and Tenten could keep up with him. But even Neji and Tenten, though not as inhumanly fast as Lee, were extremely fast, and managed to outrun the shinobi. After all, three hundred meters isn't much of a distance, when you've been doing one hundred laps around the village on a daily basis – for months.

They finally crossed the threshold, making it inside. Neji and Tenten both had to stop then, panting for breath. Lee, on the other hand, though sweaty, seemed warmed up.

They'd completed the second test – in just about two days, which was a day less that the stipulated time.

"What now?" Tenten asked, rummaging at her belt for the scroll.

"We open the scrolls," Neji said, pulling out his own.

"On the count of three!" Lee said excitedly, wedging himself between Neji and Tenten so he could look at the scrolls. Neji stepped away as subtly as he could.

"One! Two! THREE!" Lee shouted enthusiastically, and Neji and Tenten unfurled their scrolls.

There was a sudden poof, and with a cloud of smoke, a familiar figure appeared.

_God no, _Neji thought, taking in the beaming form of Maito Gai.

"MY YOUTHFUL STUDENTS!" Gai boomed, tears streaming down his eyes, "YOU HAVE PASSED THE SECOND TEST – ONE DAY EARLY AT THAT!"

Before Neji could react, Gai had pulled him, Tenten and Lee towards him in a crushing embrace. Thankfully, he released them soon after. Lee looked thrilled, tears gushing down his own cheeks, and Tenten was flushing. Neji shot Gai a glare for this infringement of his personal space, but Gai didn't seem to mind, and was gasconading on proudly.

"YOU THREE WERE BRILLIANT, YOUR TEAMWORK WAS IMPECCABLE! I AM PROUD, SO PROUD! I KNEW YOUR SPEED WOULD HELP YOU, YOU WERE THE FIRST KONOHA TEAM TO FINISH – OBVIOUSLY, SINCE YOU HAVE TRAINED MORE AND HARDER! I CANNOT WAIT TO TELL KAKASHI! HIS BRATS ARE STILL FAR BEHIND!"

Neji felt rather proud at that part – so they'd beaten the Uchiha, as well as his cousin. Of course, that was bound to happen. They were faster, much more skilled. It was fated, really.

"Well," Gai said cheerfully, "Since you three finished so early, you have one day to rest and relax! The third part of the exam will begin tomorrow afternoon! I'll meet you three at the training grounds at noon!"

"Well, that's good," Tenten said, "I'm exhausted, and I really need a bath! It's great we passed, guys… I guess I'll see you tomorrow…"

She turned to leave, and Neji made to follow. He wanted to show his face to Hiashi solely for the purpose of delivering the news that _his _team had finished the second task, whereas Hinata's had not, and probably would not even come close. He also needed a bath, and some sleep.

"Oh no!" Gai shouted, his eyes glinting, "You can do all that later – first, and more importantly, in celebration of the fact that you have done so well so far – I'm treating you three to lunch, right now!"

Neji heard Tenten sigh beside him, and even he felt rather exasperated. They were tired and dirty – and a team lunch was really not what Neji wanted at that time. And how could they just walk into a restaurant, looking as grimy and tattered as they did then? But Gai insisted, and soon, Neji found himself sitting on a slick booth, next to Tenten, munching on his noodles, as Lee exuberantly narrated the previous events to Gai across the table.

Neji and Tenten stayed more or less silent through the meal. Lee was talking too much for them to get in a word either way, and they were tired and hungry, not possessing the endless energy that Lee seemed to.

"I am proud, I really am!" Gai boomed, placing down his cup of sake. The moment he had, Lee leaned over, his bandaged hands inching closer to the cup.

"LEE!" Neji and Tenten yelled simultaneously, Tenten reaching over and grabbing the boy's wrist.

"Yes?" he asked innocently, eyes wide.

"Don't even _think _about it," Tenten warned.

"Why do you order sake when he's around?" Neji asked, scowling at Gai. "Haven't you learned from the first time?"

He was reminded of that unhappy incident a few months ago when Lee had accidentally drunk Gai's sake. The boy then proceeded to go on a destructive rampage. Tenten and Neji had been shocked, as Gai attempted to pin him down, but Lee was like a mini-tornado of youth and flailing limbs.

"_He's a natural disaster!" Tenten had shouted, watching Gai and Lee tumble over a table, Lee's errant leg smashing it to smithereens. "Neji, do something!"_

"_...this is embarrassing. Let's just leave," Neji had muttered, watching Lee smash a lamp._

"_I agree – but we can't just leave them here!" _

"_NEJI!" Gai had called desperately, "HELP!"_

_Neji looked at Tenten, as yet another table came crashing down. Lee was now bouncing off the walls – literally._

"_I can't," she'd said, shaking her head, "My weapons and wires would hurt him, and you know I'm not as strong as you are. You have to Neji! He'll bring this entire place down!"_

_Neji had made a face, but finally joined, darting after Lee as he smashed a window, sparkling shards of glass flying everywhere. After much strenuous effort, he and Gai finally managed to control the shrieking, recalcitrant disaster that to Neji's misfortune, was a teammate._

Neji and Tenten both winced, remembering the mortifying occasion. Gai snatched his sake away from Lee's grasping fingers.

"No, Lee. Control," he said sternly, drowning down the contents in one sip.

Lee shot him a woebegone look, but shrugged, and chugged down Tenten's drink instead.

"Hey!" Tenten protested, but Lee paid her no heed. Neji tightened his fingers around _his _drink, though he knew Lee probably wouldn't _dare _pulling the same stunt on him.

"Lee! That was mine!" Tenten exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Tenten, but I was really very thirsty," Lee told her, eyes wide.

"Ugh – it's fine, just don't do it again! Idiot…. Gai-sensei, could you order me another, please?"

"Of course, dear flower!"

"You're too soft on him," Neji told her harshly, "Even in the Forest of Death. You're always babying him around."

"I'm not! And if I am sometimes – well, how does that bother _you_?" Tenten snapped.

"It doesn't – it would just hamper his growth. He only has the maturity of a toddler, as is, Tenten."

"Well _you're _too harsh on him," Tenten retorted, "And I know he means well. He always has, Neji, he's just – immature."

"Hn."

Neji retreated to his own thoughts after that. Tenten's sometimes 'soft' behavior with Lee did bother him. He couldn't tell why, but it just did. She was never like that with him. Tenten was always nice to him, and even Neji could tell she admired him more than she did Lee. But some how, she seemed more – comfortable with Lee. And considering the fact that Neji found himself most comfortable with Tenten, this bothered him. He'd have to remedy that, sooner or later.

The rest of the lunch finished rather uneventfully (which was actually something to be thankful for, with Lee around, Neji thought), and Neji headed home. He and Tenten both left the restaurant before Lee and Gai did, walking together part of the way, without much conversation.

"Bye, Neji," she told him, when they reached the end of the marketplace, where they would part ways.

"Goodbye, Tenten," he replied pleasantly, and she shot him a smile, before turning around and leaping up, taking to the rooftops.

Neji did the same a few moments later, heading in the opposite direction. He reached the Hyuuga compound about three minutes later, and was happy to find that Hinata had not yet come back, which meant she was still struggling in the Forest of Death.

Unlike avoiding Hiashi as he normally did, Neji purposely exited his room when he sensed Hiashi coming, so he could bump into him.

"Neji? I take the second part of your exam is over?" Hiashi inquired.

Neji nodded, feeling rather smug.

"I didn't expect you to be back so soon. I believe there is still one more day until the second part concludes."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," Neji said respectfully, fighting to keep the smirk off his face, "Has Hinata's team returned yet?"

Hiashi's face hardened.

"No. Not yet."

"Oh – I thought they may have," Neji lied, before bowing slightly, "The final stage of the exams starts tomorrow. I shall be resting now."

Neji turned to leave, but Hiashi stopped him.

"Neji."

"…yes, Hiashi-sama?" Neji asked dully. He didn't enjoy conversing with his uncle, not more than necessary.

"You have done well. Fitting for a Hyuuga," Hiashi said.

Neji was silent, not quite knowing how to say. Was Hiashi _complimenting _him? It seemed to hard to digest. He stared at Hiashi, who opened his mouth, as if to say more, but then decided against it.

"Thank you uncle," Neji finally said, before retreating back to his room.

_If I do so well, uncle, _he thought bitterly, _why must Hinata always take preference over me? Why must I be ostracized and cursed like this?_

Neji pulled off his forehead protector, allowing his dark locks to frame his face. He reached up, running his fingers over the green mark, engraved permanently onto his forehead, the muscles in his jaw tightening.

_Why was my father cursed, in the same way I was? Why did he have to die – for cowards like you?_

– X –

Team Gai arrived to the venue of the third part of the exams, just as the teams who passed began trickling in. Other than the team from the Sand, most of them seemed pretty weary and careworn – they'd probably just recently finished the exam, Neji realized. He spotted the Nara's team, as well as his cousin's, and he felt a sudden wave of disgust. How had such pathetic weaklings as them managed to pass? Hinata's team probably had stumbled upon some good luck; there was no other explicable way that a team comprising of her, that dog-lover and the Aburame pest would ever pass. Kakashi's team trudged through a few moments later, the last team to enter. They looked exhausted, and Neji smirked slightly. Tenten, Lee and himself would have an edge, for they were better rested. That would come in handy, especially if he got to fight someone like Sasuke Uchiha. Neji quite wanted to fight him – he was sure his Byakugan would prevail over that rookie newbie and his accursed Sharingan.

Behind him, Lee was in his own world, looking scarily determined about something, and Tenten was scanning the other teams that had passed.

Then, the Hokage began to speak. Neji listened, with growing excitement – finally, they would have some single combat! That's what he'd been looking forward to – individual fighting, where he only had to depend on himself, and his abilities, without worrying about Tenten or Lee. Of course, he wanted them to do well; it would be good for the team if the three of them passed together, and despite his desire to outstrip Lee, Neji wanted even him to pass. After all, despite what a ranking may say, Neji knew he would always be superior to someone who couldn't even do ninjutsu. It was just fated to be that way.

The Hokage said something about friendship, which Neji ignored almost completely, and something about political alliances, which he already knew about. He was getting rather impatient to fight, though he hid this well under his calm, steely exterior.

Then, he passed on to Hayate, the proctor for the final round. Hayate said something about preliminary rounds before the actual final.

"Great, so we have one more 'test' before the finals?" Tenten grumbled, though Lee looked rather pumped up. Neji didn't mind that much; he considered it a mild inconvenience for him, but better for the rest of them. At least this way, frail creatures like Hinata and that Sakura girl Lee was infatuated with, would be knocked out before the actual Third Test. It made sense.

The rest of the genin didn't seem to have such an optimistic outlook. The Nara boy looked particularly irritated, and groaned out his discontent. Even Sakura seemed worried, and Hinata's dog-loving friend seemed downright shocked when Hayate announced the prelims would begin immediately.

_Of course, _Neji thought, smirking, _they are all still weary from the previous test._

One of the shinobi, a grey-haired man named Kabuto, opted to quit, which seemed to annoy the loudmouth, who began ranting something on Neji's left. Neji would his voice excruciatingly annoying; his screeching was almost as bad as Gai's booming, and that was saying a lot.

After a final melodramatic moment between Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura, which Neji also proceeded to ignore, though Lee began whimpering like an injured puppy when Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand, the prelims finally started.

The first match was between Sasuke and another Leaf ninja, and Neji, Lee and Tenten joined the other teams on the balcony. Neji watched the matched intently, trying to gauge Sasuke's abilities.

Initially, Neji wasn't impressed at all. Sasuke wasn't using his Sharingan, that much was obvious, though Neji couldn't tell why. Personally, he always relied on his dojutsu in battle. Perhaps it hadn't matured? Neji sneered inwardly at the thought. That Uchiha really was pathetic. He was getting beaten to the ground by a second-rate shinobi of no proper clan. No Hyuuga (except perhaps Hinata) would suffer such humiliation.

"What's with him?" Tenten asked, "He isn't that good. He must be overrated."

"That he is," Neji agreed immediately, though Lee furrowed his brows, looking confused.

"I've fought him – he's not as bad as this… I think he's hiding something…" Lee murmured.

"Whaddya mean you fought him? When?" Tenten asked, losing interest in the fight and turning on Lee.

Lee stuttered out an explanation, and Neji continued to watch the match. The two ninja were now wrestling on the floor, and with his Byakugan activated, Neji realized the other ninja was sucking out Sasuke's chakra.

_An interesting ability, _Neji thought.

Sasuke was struggling on the floor, as the ninja clutched his head. He finally managed to break free, but Neji could tell he was greatly weakened. Suddenly, the annoying loudmouth, his blonde teammate shouted out something, and Sasuke was back on his feet. He pushed off the ground with his hand, his leg shooting upwards in a rather familiar position.

Tenten and Lee both gasped beside him.

"Lee, that's your-" Tenten began, and Lee gave a pained cry.

"That's my – leaf shadow dance – and lion – combo…" Lee trailed off, awed, as Sasuke executed _his _moves on the leaf ninja.

_So that's the power of the Sharingan, _Neji realized, _he can just copy any move he wants to, and reproduce it almost perfectly!_

Unlike Lee, however, after Sasuke completed his emulated technique, he was flat on the floor, drained of energy; Lee would usually be dancing an ebullient victory dance at this time.

_So he does have his limits, _Neji thought, _Even though he can copy Lee's moves, he can't just get the same amount of stamina as him. _

Lee looked absolutely stunned, as he stared at Sasuke, frowning slightly. Neji could tell even Gai was astonished, though he didn't show it. Tenten was looking from Sasuke to Neji himself, a curious expression on her face.

"What?" he asked her, and she shrugged.

"Just wondering… if _you_ were to fight him, who would win… last year's Number One Rookie against this year's!"

"I would, _obviously,_" Neji snarled at her, annoyed at her lack of trust.

Tenten smiled at him, almost indulgently, and it angered him.

"Of course," she said, before turning back to the next battle, as Neji seethed beside her.

"At least I use my _own _techniques, not ones copied off of others," he hissed, and Lee nodded vehemently to this.

"Absolutely right, I agree with Neji," he muttered, obviously piqued that Sasuke had copied his technique, and without relatively any effort. "I put in weeks completing that move!"

"Well – hey, the next match is starting!" Tenten said quickly, changing the subject.

Neither Neji nor Lee were too interested, and they fumed and sulked respectively, as Shino Aburame attacked his opponent, a Sound ninja, with a mass of buzzing bugs.

"Ew," Tenten muttered, averting her eyes after a few moments of battle. Neji was slightly impressed by Hinata's teammate (he was probably the reason Hinata managed to pass) though he _really _didn't like his techniques. They were far too – gross – for a refined Hyuuga at least.

He scanned Shino's body with his Byakugan to check the extent of his technique, feeling slightly shocked at what he saw.

"What is it, Neji?" Lee asked.

"What a guy," Neji said, shaking his head, "I can understand summoning bugs… but bugs are living through his body!"

_Hinata's really got trashy teammates, _Neji thought, _A bug-lover and a mutt._

The next match was between a puppet-user and another Leaf shinobi. The puppet user was from the Sand, and he won in the end. The one following was between two Leaf rookies – two _females _– Sakura, and the Yamanaka girl, Ino.

They didn't fight immediately, yelling at each other, in what Neji considered a ridiculously emotional and unnecessary display.

"This is going to be pathetic," he scoffed contemptuously, and Tenten glared at him.

"Just because they're girls doesn't mean they can't fight," she snapped.

"Look at them, Tenten. Are you telling me to take _that _seriously?" he shot back.

Sakura and Ino were now throwing punches at each other, creating a rudimentary clone or two and adding a few shuriken to the midst. Neji subconsciously compared them to Tenten – she was _much _faster, and her weapons were far better aimed and faster. She also had more complex jutsu in her arsenal than this; it was basic, elementary_ academy _stuff.

"Sakura's movements are beautiful!" Lee was raving, "But here opponent is skilled as well!"

Neji snorted, and Tenten glared at him again.

"It's not because they're girls, Tenten," he placated her, not losing his derisive tone, "But even you know that you're _far _better than that."

This seemed to appease her, and she smiled, coloring slightly, before turning back to the battle. The match dragged on for nearly ten more minutes, and Neji was getting bored. Neither girl was doing anything extraordinary, and it was getting redundant. Finally, the blonde Yamanaka snapped, and cut off her long hair. Personally, Neji wondered why she would do such a thing – he certainly _never _would. She then proceeded to trap Sakura, and use her mind-transfer jutsu.

"So that's the Yamanaka clan's famous technique," Tenten observed, "Pretty useful, I suppose…"

"Only if the opponent is stationary," Neji said, "Which is why she trapped her with the hair, I assume. Not a bad move, but I hope they end this fast."

"Sakura… no!" Lee cried.

It finally ended in a double knock-out, a rather disappointing conclusion to what Neji considered a long and uneventful match. Lee was gushing about how 'youthfully wonderful' Sakura had been. Neji, on the other hand, was more occupied with the words that flashed across the screen.

'Temari vs Tenten' it said.

Temari was the blonde girl from the sand – the one carrying a giant fan. Which probably meant she used wind jutsus…

Neji's stomach plummeted. It was over before it had even started.

_No. Not her. Anyone but her, for Tenten, _Neji thought, panicking slightly.

He looked over at his teammate. Tenten had a determined glint in her brown eyes. She met his eyes, looking at him expectantly.

Neji pressed his lips together, wondering what to say. He probably should wish her luck – but why give her false hopes when she was fated to lose? It would just crush her more in the end.

He nodded at her, before turning away, not before seeing the disappointment in her eyes, mingled with slight hurt.

Neji had faith in Tenten's abilities. It's not like he didn't. But she used weapons, and if this Temari used wind, as her fan suggested, she was Tenten's worst possible match-up. Tenten wasn't at a disadvantage because Temari was older or more skilled. She was disadvantaged because their jutsus were so horribly matched, that Temari's had an obvious edge. Tenten's weapons would probably never reach her, not with that monstrous fan, Neji realized with a sinking feeling.

But Neji couldn't tell her this. He couldn't tell her to just give up, when she was fated to lose this match. It seemed unfair after she had worked so hard, and was obviously the most skilled of the Konoha kunoichi. But it was destined, and hence Neji couldn't bring himself to wish her luck. That would be futile, and he didn't want to disillusion her.

Lee and Gai, on the other hand, were cheering enthusiastically.

"FIGHT WITH THE FULL POWER OF YOUTH!" Gai boomed.

"COME ON TENTEN!" Lee shouted, "SEND THAT GIRL BACK TO HER VILLAGE!"

_Idiots, _Neji thought, _giving her false hope like that! It'll only make it worse for her when she fails to live up to their expectations!_

They looked at Neji expectantly, who bit his lip, before commenting.

"The second member of the Sand team… this should be interesting," he said flatly, though he knew it wouldn't. It was obvious what would happen.

His suspicions were soon correct, and Neji watched the battle feeling worse and worse, as Tenten's weapons were deflected by the enormous fan of the cocky Sand kunoichi. Tenten had seemed shocked at first – she'd _never _missed. Neji remembered their practices, where he'd sit meditating under her targets, and she'd fire weapon after weapon above her head, all of them hitting the mark perfectly.

She had 100% accuracy. It had been like that for months. Tenten _never _missed, and yet here, all of her weapons were missing. It must have been terrible for her, and Neji wondered why he was feeling so uncomfortable as well. There was an odd sinking feeling in his stomach, as he watched Tenten bring out her final weapons – her twin scrolls.

"She's using it – _now_?" Gai wondered.

_Don't Tenten, _Neji thought, _there is no point. Don't waste Twin Rising Dragons unnecessarily. _

He watched every movement as she leapt into the sky, spinning around gracefully, flipping over, directing her weapons with her hands, and then strings. It was a brilliant performance, and it angered Neji that all her talent had to go waste just because she'd been paired up with someone like Temari. Neji was sure she could have beaten a few of the others, like the man Sasuke Uchiha had been pitted against, for example.

It shouldn't have bothered him, since it was an individual event, but it did; probably because she was on his team, and Neji wanted her to progress. Tenten's progress would reflect not only on Gai's tutelage, but even him and Lee, for they were teammates.

But still, when he heard her cries as Temari's cyclone cut her skin, his stomach clenched unpleasantly, and he clenched his fists.

_You should have forfeited, and saved yourself the pain, _he thought. But the Tenten he knew would never forfeit. She was like Lee, that way. Optimistic to the point of foolishness.

And when she came crashing downwards, and Temari speared her limp figure on her metal fan, Neji shook his head sadly.

"It was fated," he muttered.

Tenten would take this hard on herself, he knew. She'd be embarrassed, disappointed, ashamed even; not for long, but at least initially.

_There's nothing to be ashamed of, Tenten, _he thought, _it was going to happen. _

Neji averted his eyes from Tenten's battered form, and he was so deep in his own musings that he didn't realize Temari suddenly swing her fan, sending Tenten's unconscious form flying towards the scattered weapons that lay below, their jagged points pointed upwards.

It was only when Lee gave a cry, and leapt off the balcony, did Neji notice. His head snapped up, and his heart nearly stopped as he saw Tenten's falling form. It was too late – he wasn't fast enough to save her, there was no way he could. But then, there was a blur of green, and Lee caught her in his arms.

And Neji heaved a sigh of relief, feeling extremely grateful to Lee for saving their teammate. A part of him also felt annoyed at himself.

_I should have saved her, _he thought, _I should have got to her before Lee did. _

Below, Lee was now yelling at Temari, who had vituperated Tenten. Neji hadn't caught her exact words, but Lee seemed pretty mad. Suddenly, he placed Tenten, who he'd been holding in his arms on the floor, and dashed at Temari, his stance familiar. He was about to attempt his Leaf Spinning Wind attack.

"Stop Lee!" Neji yelled. Tenten was safe, and if Lee injured Temari, he could risk disqualification. There was no need for yet another member of Team Gai to fail, not when Lee possibly stood a better chance than Tenten had when she was paired with Temari.

Lee paid him no heed though – Temari must have said something really vicious about Tenten to make him lose his temper like that – and continued to attack her. She intercepted with her fan though, and Lee would have attacked again, if Gai had chosen that moment to leap down and stop him.

Neji heaved a sigh of relief, that odd sinking feeling still in his chest, as he looked at Tenten's battered form. Lee was still furious; he was shaking noticeably.

_That Sand kunoichi… _Neji thought furiously, aversion towards the brash girl welling up within him. _The Sand shinobi haven't lost a match yet. They've been left unscathed…_

The Nara's match was next, but Neji didn't pay much attention, watching the medics hoist Tenten's form onto a stretcher. He raked over her form with his Byakugan, trying to infer the extent of the damage.

"She'll be alright," a voice at his shoulder said.

Neji turned around. Lee was standing next to him again, fists clenched.

"She's got a few cuts and fractures, but they'll heal her pretty quickly. It's nothing lasting," Lee mumbled, and Neji nodded mutely, at a loss for words.

He and Lee stared ahead at the match below, but Neji knew neither of them were really paying attention. The match was pretty boring initially, but it soon picked up pace as Shikamaru Nara executed a pretty intelligent move with his Shadow Copy Jutsu, catching their attention. Soon, he clinched himself a victory against the female Sound nin.

_Not bad… _Neji thought, impressed. _It was a simple jutsu, but he utilized his surroundings well. This year's rookies aren't so bad after all, _he thought, eyes flicking from the Nara to Sasuke. _It should be interesting fighting them._

Lee seemed rather pumped up.

"I'm going to be next," he whispered, as the letters flickered on the screen. "I can feel it!"

Unfortunately for Lee, it was Naruto who was up against Kiba.

Lee made a ludicrous face, shoulders slumping. Neji could kind of understand his impatience. After Tenten's loss, even he was itching to fight someone, preferably from the Sound.

Naruto turned out to be the loudmouthed blonde kid, and Kiba was Hinata's teammate. In Neji's opinion, neither of them really deserved to progress. If only Tenten had been against Kiba instead… or better, against Hinata…

In the meanwhile, Naruto was being pummeled by Kiba, and his puppy. Neji watched him carefully, slightly surprised by his chakra – it almost seemed like he had _two _chakras – but that was impossible…

"OHHH!" Lee suddenly shouted, and there were yells of "Go Naruto!" from some of the genin. It was a sudden change from seconds ago when they'd all been disparaging him.

Kiba released a smoke bomb, and when it cleared, the puppy was biting Kiba, his teeth clamped around his arm. Kiba seemed shocked, but then with a puff of smoke, the puppy turned into Naruto, and another Naruto reappeared holding the real puppy.

_He combined a transformation jutsu with a shadow clone, _Neji realized, _that's pretty smart, and he has good timing._

Suddenly, the Naruto biting Kiba jumped off, making a face.

"You stink of dog!" he hollered, and even Neji was amused by his antics.

_He bites someone and then gets pissed… what a funny guy… _

The battle raged on, and Kiba and his dog transformed, attacking Naruto with a rather shocking form of taijutsu, in which they spun along like a giant cyclone, with a yell of 'Piercing Fang'. Neji had to admit, it was an impressive technique; Hinata hadn't placed as badly as he thought she had. Naruto however, retaliated impressively. Neji cracked a smile at the kid's determination – he just didn't give up.

He was shocked though, when Naruto gained an upper hand with – well, in Neji's opinion it was a _disgraceful _method – flatulence. He followed this up with a clone barrage, similar to what Sasuke had copied off of Lee earlier, winning himself the match.

The arena was filled with cheers, and Neji, though slightly disgusted, had to admit the kid had good tactics, and some creative tricks up his sleeve.

"OHHHH!" Lee shouted again, and Neji couldn't quite tell if he was happy or frustrated.

"Why're they all copying MY techniques!" he moaned finally, and Neji shook his head, crossing his arms.

"The Lion's Combo was _mine, _and that Sasuke copied it and now Naruto! Gai-sensei, this is injustice!"

"Lee," Gai scolded, "You should be honored that _two _of Kakashi's students chose to emulate _you _so that they could gain victory. Remember, mimicry is the best form of flattery!"

"Oh Gai sensei – when you put it like that, I think you are correct!"

"Of course I am, Lee!"

"Oh, Gai sensei!"

Neji turned away, feeling slightly sick. This was about the moment when he and Tenten would look at each other in exasperation. Tenten wasn't there, though.

His eyes fell on Hinata instead. She was speaking to Naruto, blushing and fumbling as she offered him some medical cream.

_You seem to be enjoying yourself, Hinata-sama, _Neji thought sarcastically. _I'd save that cream if I were you though… you'll be needing it._

There were only six people left, Neji realized. Himself, Lee, Hinata, the fat Akimichi kid, the redhead from the Sand and another Sound ninja. Neji hoped he wouldn't be against Lee; though they considered each other rivals, Neji wouldn't want Lee to be knocked out of the exam like Tenten had been. And in all honesty, he didn't want to fight Lee so soon in the preliminaries. Neji knew it wouldn't be easy, and he had to conserve his energy for the next round. He hoped he'd get Gaara – he seemed like a worthy opponent.

His eyes were set on the scoreboard, waiting for his fated match-up. He froze, as the letters stopped spinning, two names written across the board.

'Hinata Hyuuga vs Neji Hyuuga'

Initially he was furious – Hinata was an unworthy opponent! She was pathetic, she was frail, she was useless! But then he realized, with a growing thrill, that she was also from the _Main House._

Memories flooded through Neji at that moment, when his white eyes locked onto her trembling form. Memories of his father writhing in pain, clutching at his forehead… memories of crying bitter tears over his father's dead body… he had suffered, suffered so much because of the Main House, because of _her. _

Neji touched his forehead, a cruel smile shaping his lips. He was supposed to _protect _Hinata. He was _never _supposed to fight her. That was his destiny.

Looks like now, he just wouldn't have a choice. And in all honesty, Neji was glad. There was no way _he'd _ever waste his time or chakra protecting _her. _

_Time for revenge…_

Neji was jolted out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. It was Gai, and he was surveying him with a grim expression.

"What?" Neji asked insolently, crossing his arms.

"Neji," Gai said calmly, "I know there is a rift in your clan between the Main House and the Branch House-"

"How the hell do you know?" Neji demanded furiously.

"Your clan's affairs aren't as secret as you think they are, Neji. And Lee overheard you telling Tenten, and he felt best to inform me."

Neji gritted his teeth – that had been _none _of their business! And he'd barely told Tenten anything! Only about how the House system functioned, and that there was an estrangement.

"Lee didn't hear much, and I suppose you didn't reveal much, but Neji, your body language whenever Hinata or Hiashi are mentioned or presence makes it more than obvious you bear a grudge. I know of your clan's history with the Cloud, so I can understand where you are coming from-"

"Stay out of my business," Neji said coldly. "You understand _nothing_.'

"Neji," Gai said sternly, "Remember the shinobi rules? A shinobi's emotions should never come in the way of a mission. This is like that, Neji. Don't let your grudge against Hinata and the Main House come in the way of your fight."

"I couldn't care less for Hinata and the damned-"

"NEJI. I am serious. Promise me, you _will not let your family affairs dictate this fight!"_

Neji sighed, anger bubbling with him. Realizing he had no way out of this, he nodded.

"Fine. Now let me go."

"Promise me, Neji."

"… I promise, Gai-sensei. I will not let my – personal feelings get in the way of this fight," Neji said, though his voice was empty.

Gai let go of him, shaking his head, and Neji stormed past him towards the stairs.

Lee cautiously wished him good luck, but Neji ignored him, walking down the stairs, eyes fixed on his quivering cousin.

_Pathetic._

"N-Neji-nii-san," Hinata addressed him softly, the fear evident in her eyes.

_She has a reason to be afraid._

"Hinata-sama," Neji said with mock courtesy, "I never thought I'd be facing _you_ here."

Hinata nodded, still shaking. Neji hadn't been very kind to her in the past, and they both knew that he bore no love for her or the Main House.

"I'd like to say something before we fight," Neji told her, his voice echoing in the silent arena. Hinata looked at him, nodding politely, the awkwardness thick in the air.

"You don't make a good shinobi," Neji said loudly, "Forfeit now."

Hinata gasped at this, and Neji ploughed on relentlessly.

"You are too kind. You wish for harmony and avoid conflict. You agree with others, never resisting."

Everything he said was true, and not even derogatory. But the tone of his voice made them sound like insults, and Hinata bit her lip, staring at the ground, as Neji continued, his tone getting harsher and harsher.

"You have no self confidence. I always feel your sense of inferiority," Neji continued, biting back the part about how he thought she was pathetic. As a Hyuuga, he was too well-bred to go _that _far and say _such _things in public. Though his words were cutting Hinata deeply, as he exposed her every fear.

He didn't care.

_She should know. She should know when to give up. She's a disgrace to ninja._

"That's why I think you should stay a genin. But the Chuunin exam can only be taken in teams of three. You couldn't turn down your teammate's requests, and that's why you entered, and that is reality. Am I right?" he asked, raising a brow.

"N-no," Hinata stammered, "I – I just wanted – to do it myself – I wanted to change myself…"

_Change yourself… if I could change myself, I'd never have this cursed mark on my forehead… my father would have changed that himself… how dare she just-_

"Hinata-sama," Neji spat, his voice dripping with venom, "As I thought you are a _spoiled brat _of the Main House."

"H-huh?" Hinata squealed, obviously distressed. "N-no-"

"People cannot change themselves!" Neji said forcefully, "Losers are losers. Their personality and strength will not change!"

_The same way a Branch House member will always be caged and sacrificed. If I cannot change that, there is no way in hell you can change anything about yourself!_

"Because people cannot change," Neji continued acerbically, "Expressions like elite and loser are created…"

_Expressions like Main House and Branch House…_

Hinata's lip quivered, her white eyes wide.

"Looks, brains, ability, size, personality," Neji ploughed on, "All people judge and are judged based on these values. Based on these unchangeable factors, people discriminate and are discriminated against…"

_Cursed seal, pain, sacrifice, death…_

"And they suffer within their own means. Just like the fact that – _I am from the Branch House and you are from the Main House cannot be changed!_" Neji finished viciously, face contorted.

Neji didn't know what had overcome him – perhaps it was bitterness, or frustration, or just cold hatred, but he continued his monologue, weighed down by the grudges and his dark past, attempting to tear apart Hinata verbally.

It was working – the girl was shaking and stuttering, tears welling up in her white eyes, eyes almost identical to Neji's own.

He lost track of time, as he ranted on, until he was suddenly interrupted by Naruto.

"YOU CAN!" Naruto roared, and Neji's eyes flitted upwards.

"STOP DECIDING THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE! IDIOT! HINATA, KICK THAT BASTARD'S ASS!"

Neji scowled, eyes narrowing as Hinata suddenly stood up a little straighter, a determined look in her previously scared eyes.

_God he's annoying – but her eyes have changed… she's actually going to be foolish enough to challenge me…_

"So you won't forfeit," Neji muttered, "Then I'm not responsible for what happens to you…"

_I did my duty as a good Branch House member, _he thought sarcastically, _I tried protecting you. But now, Hinata, you're going down._

"I – I no longer want to run away!" Hinata declared, the tremulous edge having disappeared from her voice. "Brother Neji – we fight!"

She slid into the traditional Hyuuga fighting stance, and Neji mimicked her actions.

_The nerve of her! That – that – _Neji was overcome by a way of inexplicable rage. Hinata had never personally wronged him – but his father – her father – the House – the seal – it was all to overwhelming. It's why Neji wanted her to forfeit in the first place.

He'd suppressed his emotions too long. There was no way he'd be able to hold back now, not when he was fighting her, _Hinata, _the reason for his father's death, the root cause of all of his suffering, even if she'd never meant to wrong him…

It was a flurry of palms after that – Neji lost control. There were bursts of chakra, palm thrusts, fingers pushing against chakra points, blocking chakra flow – Neji put his heart into the fight, forgetting that he was fighting an innocent girl, just a genin.

He was unleashing his fury against the Hyuuga clan, his fury at being incarcerated and caged, and Hinata was the victim of his wrath.

Hinata fought back at first, with renewed determination. But Neji had always been a genius, and she was no match for him. Soon, he'd blocked all her chakra points, disabling her chakra usage.

_So this is the extent of the Main House's strength? Pathetic! They're murderers._

Hinata didn't stop there though. She continued, and Neji had reached his limit. He struck at her, hitting every part of her he could get with a forceful vengeance.

_They killed my father. It's her fault. She killed my father._

Hinata gasped, coughing out blood.

_She killed my father. She's worthless._

Neji struck her again, and again, and again, just one thought rushing through his mind.

_The Main House killed my FATHER!_

He rolled up her sleeve, showing her the extent of the damage. She gasped, shocked. One more shove, and she flew backwards, crashing to the floor.

"This is the difference between talent that you cannot change," Neji rambled on, mindlessly, drowning in his own ocean of bitterness.

Then they were fighting again, flying at each other with a flurry of palms and fists, Neji fueled by his rage, Hinata by Naruto's words of encouragement.

He lost track of how many times he knocked her down, and how many times she struggled back up, renewed hope in her eyes.

_She's being stupid – she's being really stupid. I could easily kill her. She should forfeit now._

"Forfeit," Neji commanded her, but Hinata didn't listen, pushing herself up and staggered towards him.

"It's not over," Hinata mumbled.

"Acting tough is useless!" Neji snarled, "You can barely stand, I can see that! From the time of your birth the responsibility of the Hyuuga Main House has been forced upon you…"

_And you didn't deserve it. I did. You didn't even want it. I did! Neither of us want to be in the position we are in right now… but we are, as that's our destiny. We can't change it._

Neji felt uncharacteristically sorry for her, for a moment. She hadn't asked for this either. He'd seen her suffer – Hiashi was harsh with her, and though she probably deserved it, Neji had seen her cry many times, though he'd never approached her.

"You have always hated yourself for your own weakness," Neji said, almost regretfully, though there was a note of finality in his voice. "And that is your destiny."

"There is no need to suffer anymore," he told her, "Let it go."

_For your sake, as well as mine._

And then Hinata spoke, an odd look in her eyes.

"That's not true, Neji-nii-san," she began timidly, slowly gaining confidence. "I can see it. It's not me at all…"

_Is she daring to contradict me, the little-_

"The person lost and suffering within the destiny of the Main and Branch Houses is you."

Neji felt like a kunai had stabbed through his heart at her words, and he suddenly went rigid, Hinata's words echoing in his head, as he was inundated by more and more past memories of his family's tragedy.

_I'm lost… I'm suffering… trapped… cursed… my father… they killed my father… Hinata was kidnapped…_

He remembered seeing Hinata on her third birthday, as he clutched his father's hand. He remembered staring at the cold, dead eyes of his father, after the issue with the Cloud ninja.

_It's Hinata's fault they killed her. The Hyuuga killed my father. She killed my father. HINATA KILLED MY FATHER! THAT IS WHY I AM LOST AND SUFFERING!_

All coherent thought and logic had left Neji's mind. He stared at Hinata for a moment, the veins around his eyes throbbing, and then he charged at her, killer intent emanating from every step he took closer to her.

_IT'S YOUR FAULT MY FATHER IS DEAD! THIS IS FOR MY FATHER!_

Hayate was yelling at him, but the words slipped past Neji's ears, and he continued on. He was just inches from Hinata, who was staring at him, petrified. He'd make her pay.

And then suddenly, there were strong hands and arms around him, holding him back. Gai's arm was clamped around his neck, Kakashi and Kurenai holding his arms.

"Neji," Gai said warningly, his voice hard, "Give it a rest."

"Why do even the other Jounins jump in?" Neji demanded bitterly, struggling against them, his eyes flashing. It just wasn't fair.

"More special treatment for the _Main Family?_" he asked acidly.

"Neji you gave me a promise not to lose your head over this Main family stuff," Gai said, and his voice was disappointed.

Neji's stomach clenched again, and he grit his teeth, bowing his head down.

"Aaargh!"

Neji's head snapped up, as Hinata suddenly crumpled, falling to her knees, blood splurting out from her mouth.

Sakura and Naruto leapt down as well, running to Hinata's side.

_She's weak. She'll always be weak, _Neji thought condescendingly, meeting her eyes.

His eyes were hard, but to his shock, when she looked at him, hers weren't full of hatred, despite what he'd done. It almost seemed like she pitied _him, _and it infuriated Neji. He looked away, feeling even more disgusted than before.

_Did I – go to far? _Neji wondered, feeling the stirrings of guilt, as he stared at Hinata's defeated form.

Naruto chose that moment to give him a dirty look, and Neji lost his temper, yet again.

"Hey you!" he snapped, and Naruto looked at him, glowering.

"I'd like to tell you two things. Firstly, if you're a shinobi, cut out the pathetic cheering of others!" he barked.

Naruto cheering Hinata reminded him of Lee cheering Tenten. And that got on his nerves, though Neji couldn't tell why.

"And one more thing," he added, gesturing to Hinata, "In the end, a loser is always a loser. They cannot change that."

Naruto scowled at him.

"You wanna test me?" he growled.

Neji snorted, shaking his head, and suddenly, Naruto was charging at him.

Before Neji could react, however, there was a blur of green, and Lee had appeared in front of Naruto, arms outstretched, blocking him from Neji. When he spoke, his voice was oddly harsh, and his expression hard as well, not the usual warm, happy expression he had when he spoke to, or about his teammates.

"Naruto, I understand your feelings so much that it hurts. But the fighting should occur only in matches."

He turned to look up at Neji, dark eyes boring into his, and Neji didn't like the angry look in Lee's eyes. It was almost like Lee was angry – or disappointed – in _him. _

"Whether a loser can defeat an elite through the power of hard work," Lee said firmly, "That's something to look forward to in the main test. Though his opponent maybe _me_."

Lee glared at Neji with a startling intensity, and Neji frowned, scowling back. Lee had never spoken to him in such a tone, with such – _disgust _– lacing his voice. It had become personal, he realized. Lee was referring to his own rivalry with Neji.

_He's a born failure, like Hinata, so of course he would empathize with her._

Hinata began hacking up blood again, and her sensei, Kurenai now turned to Neji, shooting him a deadly glare with her crimson eyes.

"If you have time to glare at me, then take care of her," Neji told her contemptuously, forgetting his Hyuuga manners. It seemed like _everyone _was siding Hinata, and it just wasn't fair.

It had always been like that. Hinata had always come first for everyone. Now even _Gai _and _Lee – _he didn't hold their opinion that highly, but they were his _teacher _and his _teammate – _even they had taken her side.

It just wasn't fair, and Neji couldn't stand it anymore. He turned to leave, but then Naruto shook a fist at him – a fist covered in Hinata's blood.

"I promise you," he bellowed, "YOU ARE GOING DOWN!"

Neji felt more eyes on him – hateful, _blaming _eyes.

He made an angry sound, and walked off as calmly as he could, ascending the stairs.

_I wish Tenten was here, _Neji thought, for the first time missing his female comrade. She'd always stuck loyally by his side. _But then again, maybe it's better she didn't see that match…_

Tenten had always defended kunoichi with a vehement passion – perhaps her opinion of him would have fallen, after seeing the way he treated Hinata? Neji didn't know, but was overcome by an urge to just leave, maybe go visit Tenten in the hospital – or why bother? He'd rather just go, sit alone somewhere and meditate. He didn't have a choice though, and he stayed on the balcony, ready to watch the last two matches.

Gai and Lee joined him a few moments later, but Neji looked away, refusing to meet their eyes. He'd had enough angry eyes directed towards him – even though it wasn't his fault. Neji didn't know why they couldn't understand that. Hinata had been fated to lose, just like he'd been fated to suffer. She'd been fated to experience the pain she did, and besides, it was _nothing _compared to the trauma he had to go through as a child, the trauma he carried with him even now.

Lee began to blather something asinine, and started dancing around as his match was announced next. He was against Gaara, the third Sand shinobi. Neji had mixed feelings about the match – though Lee's behavior earlier had angered him, he'd wanted Lee to win because they were teammates – and after Tenten's loss, it was the least they could do.

But as the match progressed, Neji realized it was almost as bad as watching Tenten's. Gaara was a genius. He stood in one place, using his sand as an ultimate defense, while Lee zipped around, working hard yet unable to land a blow on him. Gaara was unscathed. It was as unfair a match-up as Temari had been for Tenten.

Yet, like Tenten, Lee persevered despite the odds. It almost hurt, watching him. Neji was shocked when he cast off his weights; he and Tenten had known Lee wore weights, but they'd never known how heavy they were. His new speed was almost fearful.

Still, Gaara remained unharmed.

Like Tenten, Lee was forced to rely on his ultimate move – the Lotus. That failed as well, and Neji shook his head. Lee was fated to lose as well.

He then began something else, after permission from Gai.

"Neji this technique had been for defeating you," Lee had called, looking up at the stands, and Neji's white eyes had widened, "But I'll show it to you now!"

_Defeating me? What technique is this?_

Lee had opened his Celestial Gates, and Neji had been astonished to see his chakra pathways flare up, as his face turned red, and flames of chakra flooded from his system and licked his body, sizzling the air.

Even with his Byakugan, Neji couldn't spot Lee as he flashed from one place to another, finally managing to land a blow on Gaara, finally getting past the indomitable sand shield.

_This is Lee, _Neji wondered, awestruck, _Since when did he get so – this is impossible!_

"Fifth gate! Limit gate!" Lee screeched, "OPEN!"

More chakra poured out of his body, and it was too much for Neji to take in with his Byakugan. He'd _never _known Lee was that capable. Gai had obviously trained him extra, when he and Tenten weren't around.

"EXTREME LOTUS!" Lee screamed, and he executed his technique, too fast for Neji's eyes to follow his actions.

Gaara crashed to the ground at super-speed, and Neji's heart nearly stopped.

There was _no _way – despite all his talent, and all his training – there was _no _way he would have been able to defend himself against _such _speed, and _such _raw power.

The realization made him numb.

Lee struggled up from the ground, and just as it seemed like his victory was certain, a stream of sand jutted out, wrapping itself around Lee's damaged leg, crushing.

"AAAAARGH!" Lee cried out in agony, and there was a series of gasps and yells.

Neji leaned forward, grabbing the railing tightly, his knuckles whitening.

_How? How could this happen?_

And it was like Tenten's match all over again, except this time, and Gai had to step in, stopping the match, stopping Lee, who was attempting to fight even when he was on the verge of fainting… and then Lee's unconscious and shattered body was eased onto a stretcher. The genin rushed down, but Neji remained rooted to the spot, feeling almost paralyzed.

Lee had been brilliant. He had been a genius of hard work. But in the end, he had lost, because it had been fated.

_Lee, you never realized it till the end… _Neji thought, _the heavens will not allow a pawn that can only seek victory at the cost of himself to advance…_

They had failed, Neji realized, and he had passed.

But Tenten was in the hospital, and Lee was lying his bones broken and his muscles ripped – and he had nearly killed Hinata, and everyone was blaming _him _– Neji didn't quite know what to think at that moment.

So he fixed his usual arrogant mask onto his face, as he stood alone on the balcony, watching the second match, but not really paying attention.

_Tenten... Lee… _

Finally, the exams were over, and the Hokage called them down, congratulating them. He also informed them that they would have a month to prepare for the final round.

Neji didn't feel a sense of pride though, or accomplishment. After all he'd defeated someone far weaker than him, far below his caliber.

Hopefully, the finals would be better, he thought, as he stalked off, eyes directed straight ahead.

– X –

_A/N – no that's not the end of part 2. There's still another installment to part 2 with the final round and the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. Sorry, it turned out much longer than I expected. I'm trying to keep it as similar to the manga, I'm even lifting out bits of dialogue from there to make it seem more canon. There will be romance though, I promise. There was some very subtle NeijTen in this one, it will get stronger as the story progresses. Right now I'm trying to focus mainly on their developing friendship. Next chapter should be up soon. I'm starting on it right now, just wanted to post this, since it's all turning out quite verbose =P_

_And yeah, I made Team Gai finish the 2__nd__ task a bit early. I just think they're capable and should have._

_Hope you enjoyed it! Special thanks to ayumwu, nadja, cornflowwer, tentenhyuga, ninjapirate and Senka Hitomi for reviewing!_

_To the rest of you please review! Even if it's just a word or two, I'd really appreciate it (though I love lengthy reviews, of course!)_

_xxx _


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N – the end of part two is here… hope you enjoy it! Happy Birthday Neji-kun, darling, this is for you. (It's still July 3rd where I am) Extra looong chapter =) _

**Neji Gaiden – Part 2 Continued**

– X –

Neji walked along the streets of Konoha, rather aimlessly, which was odd. He usually knew exactly where to go.

But that day, he didn't. First, he'd been overcome by an urge to visit Tenten (who was quite possibly the only person who would understand him now, and not look at him as if he'd been culpable of some blasphemous crime), but then he realized she was at the hospital. And Hinata would be at the hospital, which meant Hiashi and many other Main House members would be as well. And there was no way in hell Neji wanted to face _them. _He was probably going to hear it from Hiashi later – in fact, Neji was dreading that the man would activate the curse seal on him.

Lee and Gai were at the hospital too, and Neji didn't want to face them either. He didn't want to go to the Hyuuga compound. He had no one he considered family there, and he didn't want to face the Main House members, or his the Elders.

He didn't have any friends among the Konoha shinobi either, and finally Neji opted to go to Team Gai's training ground, and meditate, to calm himself down.

He stayed there for at least three hours – the sky was dark when he finally got up, and began trudging home. He'd start practicing for the finals tomorrow – but before he did that, there was something he needed.

Neji snuck back into the Hyuuga compound from one of the back gates, instead of the front gate. He wanted to avoid Hiashi, for obvious reasons, and he also wanted to do something else. Luckily, most of the Hyuuga members were occupied with their precious Hinata's injuries, and Neji was able to creep around without being unnoticed. He managed to break into the Main House Records, a place that was strictly forbidden for Branch House members, and even most Main House members. Neji doubted even Hinata had been allowed inside. He knew he'd face serious repercussions if he was caught, and that he was breaking a strict Hyuuga law, but Neji didn't care. He scanned the room quickly with his sharp eyes, until he sighted the scroll he was looking for.

'The Secrets of the Heavenly Whirl' it said, the words faded on the thick parchment. Neji gently pulled it out, replacing it with a fake he'd cloned, and quickly exited the room, locking it and wiping away all traces that he'd even entered. Scroll safely stowed away in his pocket, he made his way to the room.

"Neji."

Neji nearly jumped as he heard his uncle's voice, out of the blue.

_He's going to activate it._

He turned around, hand unconsciously going to his forehead. Hiashi noticed this gesture, and narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing him.

"Hiashi-sama?" Neji asked, his voice low.

"Congratulations on passing," Hiashi said, and Neji thought he detected a trace of _pity _in his uncle's voice.

_It can't be. Why isn't he angry? I nearly killed his daughter, his heir to the clan._

"Th-thank you," Neji replied, their conversation as short and awkward as ever, before both turned around, going their respective ways.

Then it hit Neji – for Hiashi, Hinata had always been as worthless as Neji. Of course, he wouldn't have cared.

That night, Neji pored over the scroll, absorbing as much information as he could about the forbidden technique. The Kaiten, or the Heavenly Spin, it was called, and it was the Ultimate Defense. It was a technique only a few select Main House members could do, for it was far too complex for even an average Hyuuga. However, Neji's new goal was to master it, and prove to the Main House how thick the blood that ran in his veins really was.

– X –

Neji arrived at the training ground early that morning. He knew there was no training – with Lee and Tenten in the hospital, and Gai worrying himself over them, it would be impossible.

But Neji needed to train. The training ground was oddly quiet, without Lee's exuberant shouts and the sound of Tenten's weapons clinking against one another. He sat down under Tenten's dummies and targets, out of habit. Yet, he actually found meditating slightly more difficult, _without _the distraction and methodic thump of weapons above his head. He gave up on that, beginning the rudimentary steps to mastering the Kaiten.

It wasn't easy – circular motion, the release of chakra from all his chakra points – it was certainly an intricate technique to execute. But then again, Neji hadn't been known as a genius for nothing.

At noon, however, Neji stopped. He wasn't hungry – he just thought he should check up on his teammates.

When Neji entered the hospital, he saw a group of Hyuuga elders huddled outside one of the rooms. Ignoring their presence, he walked to the receptionist.

"Could you please tell me what room Tenten is in?" he asked politely.

"Last name?" the receptionist asked.

"She – doesn't have one," Neji said. Tenten was an orphan, so she'd never had a last name. "She's around my age, brown hair in two buns, pink shirt – she was one of the injured Leaf shinobi from the Chuunin exams…"

"Oh, yes," the receptionist said, understanding, "All the Chuunin exam casualties are in that ward over there," she told him, gesturing to the door outside which the Hyuuga elders had gathered.

Neji sighed heavily, almost wishing he'd never come. He'd been planning on avoiding the Hyuuga. It was futile though, and he squared his shoulders, walking ahead, ignoring their Byakugan gazes completely as he walked into the room.

It was a large room, with rows of flat beds. There was a crowd of Hyuuga clustered around one of them – obviously Hinata's. Neji was surprised the Hyuuga hadn't demanded a private room for her. Kiba was lying on another bed, not far from Hinata's, two women who were probably his mother and sister at his bedside. Lee wasn't there though – Neji knew he'd been taken straight to the intensive care unit with Gai. There were other shinobi there as well – injured from missions, probably. Neji finally spotted Tenten, sitting upright on a bed in the corner of the room.

Neji suddenly felt a wave of sympathy and understanding towards her. She was alone – like he was.

He made his way towards her bed, relieved to see that she was almost healed. There were still a few half-healed cuts on her arms, but other than that, she seemed fine, as she restlessly twisted the white sheets of her bed between her fingers.

"Tenten," he greeted, and her head whipped up, brown eyes widening slightly.

"Neji!" she exclaimed, "I – didn't expect to see you – what're you doing here?"

"I am visiting you," Neji replied, wondering if he shouldn't have.

_Ridiculous, she's my teammate – and I had to make sure she was okay._

"Oh! Oh – I – thanks," she said, cracking a smile. She seemed to have brightened up, and Neji was glad. She must have been getting lonely.

"You're my first visitor," she informed him cheerfully.

"What about Gai?" Neji asked sharply.

"He – he didn't come," Tenten admitted, a bit sadly. "Lee didn't either."

Neji wondered if he should tell her about Lee's condition – she'd worry herself, but it wasn't something he could keep from her. He also felt slightly guilty – perhaps he should have visited her earlier? She'd obviously been expecting some of her teammates to visit, though obviously not him from her reaction. That bothered him slightly – why _wouldn't _he visit? And moreover, Neji was slightly irritated with Gai. Though he and Tenten were both used to Gai's blatant preference of Lee, Gai should have had the decency to at least visit his other student, even if Lee was in a worse condition.

"How are you feeling?" Neji asked after a while.

"I'm – I'll be fine. They healed most of my cuts and stuff yesterday. Tore a few ligaments, but the medics fixed that well. They'll probably discharge me soon," Tenten said.

"…that's good to know," Neji said, wondering if he should sit by her bedside.

Tenten seemed to notice this, and shifted slightly, an unspoken invitation.

"I guess I should congratulate you," she said, as Neji sat down at the foot of her bed.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You – you must've passed, right?" she said, gazing at him.

Neji smiled slightly – it was good to know that Tenten still maintained her faith in him.

"Yes, I did."

"What about Lee? He must've passed too, right?" Tenten asked eagerly, though Neji could detect a trace of bitterness in her tone.

"Tenten, you never could have won," he informed her.

She frowned slightly.

"Why – would you say that?" she asked, sounding slightly hurt.

_I'm just trying to tell things how they are, Tenten. No point deluding yourself._

"You were against a wind user, Tenten. There was no way you could have won. Your jutsus were naturally at a steep disadvantage. Victory would have been impossible," Neji told her bluntly, and she bit her lip.

_She's misunderstood me, _Neji realized, not liking her rather expression.

"If it had been anyone else, Tenten, you could have won," he told her truthfully, "You're skilled. Far more skilled than the other Konoha kunoichi. But that battle wasn't won on skill. Weapons can never beat wind, and she was the worst match-up for you."

Tenten's expression lifted at this.

"So you – you're not – disappointed?" she asked tentatively.

"Why would I be?" Neji asked her, "It was bound to happen. You fought well. If I were in your place, I would have forfeit though. You didn't have to go through all that pain."

Tenten smiled slightly.

"Thanks – I guess…" she muttered.

"I am merely stating a fact," Neji told her.

"I didn't know you were the kind to talk about forfeiting, Neji. That doesn't seem like you…" Tenten added, and Neji gritted his teeth.

"There is no point in wasting your chakra when the outcome is obvious. Wind will always beat weapons. Water will always beat fire. Lightning will always beat earth. It's the nature of things, Tenten. You cannot change that, no one can. It's fated."

Tenten sighed – she was quite accustomed to Neji's fatalistic attitude.

"It's futile resisting," Neji went on, "You and Lee both were extremely talented, but you didn't have a chance from the start."

"Wait, what?" Tenten exclaimed, sitting up straighter. "What do you mean me _and Lee? _Lee didn't – he couldn't have –"

"He lost, Tenten. He was against that redhead from the Sand. The teammate of your opponent."

"Oh no," Tenten moaned, "Poor Lee, he must be devastated!"

Neji breathed heavily, gazing into her eyes. Tenten seemed to detect something was wrong.

"Neji?" she asked frantically, "What happened to Lee? What's wrong?"

"Tenten, Lee is in the intensive care unit. He's unconscious."

"What? How?" Tenten gasped.

"He opened five of his gates and used the Extreme Lotus, and he's shattered multiple bones and torn muscles."

There was silence for a few moments, as Tenten absorbed information, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I – can't believe it," she whispered finally, "Lee…"

"It was fated," Neji said firmly, but Tenten shook her head.

"I don't know Neji, I can't say I agree with you on that. But that Sand kid – he must've been pretty tough to – to beat Lee's ultimate technique!"

"He didn't do much to tell you the truth," Neji replied, "Just relied on his sand to shield himself, and finally crush Lee. This was when his weights were off as well."

"Oh no," Tenten moaned, "I – I hope he's okay! Oh god, Lee… have you visited him yet? How is he?"

"I – came to visit you first," Neji said, and Tenten's cheeks colored slightly, though he paid no heed to this.

"Oh! Okay… thanks! And well, how was – your match?"

"I was against Hinata," he told her slowly, and Tenten bit her lip.

"Hinata, hm. Well – that probably – complicated things…" she said cautiously, eyes flickering over to the other side of the room, where Hinata lay, surrounded by Hyuugas.

"You have no idea," Neji sighed, shaking his head.

"Do you – want to talk about?"

"Actually I do. But not right now. Not here. When do you think they'll let you out?"

If Tenten was flattered at the attention he was paying her, she didn't show it.

"Two days, at the most, I think," she said. "Neji – is everything with you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said quickly, rising from her bedside. "I need to go train now."

"Okay! Thanks for visiting! And um – if you see Lee, tell him 'hi' from me… and tell him to get well soon and _rest _properly."

"Yeah," he muttered, glancing at her one last time before leaving. She had a rather thoughtful expression on her face. He didn't tell her to get well soon, or anything. It wasn't like him. But in all honesty, Tenten was grateful. That he'd visited her was more than enough.

What she didn't know, and what he wouldn't admit, was that he needed her right now. He was in a turmoil, about Hinata and his clan, and he was slightly tense about the upcoming exams. He needed her more than anything, and even Neji was beginning to realize this.

He stopped by Lee's room before leaving the hospital. Gai was outside, sitting on a bench, head buried in his hand.

"What's wrong with him?" Neji asked, and Gai looked up.

"Neji! What are you doing here?" Gai seemed genuinely surprised.

Neji wondered why – two of his teammates were in the hospital, shouldn't they have been expecting him to visit?

"Visiting Tenten," Neji said, before adding coldly, "She was asking about you. I'm the only visitor she's had so far."

Gai looked extremely guilty at this, bushy brows furrowing as he clenched his fists.

"Oh no – poor Tenten! I didn't mean to – it's just with Lee I –"

"Forgot?" Neji asked harshly, "It's not very surprising."

"Neji," Gai said sternly, though his eyes were sparkling, "I was preoccupied about Lee, it's nothing like that, Tenten is very important to me, so are you, but Lee-"

"Matters more, right? It's alright. Tenten's used to that."

Gai's voice cracked.

"Lee is still unconscious Neji! The medics don't know what to do! The extent of the damage the technique has taken on his body is devastating! They can't heal him, and he may be restricted to a bed for the rest of his life! And even if they manage by some miracle, he can never be a shinobi again!"

Neji paused, silent. He felt a chill settle over his bones – he'd never _ever _expected it to be that bad.

"It's my fault," Gai choked, shoulders shaking, "I taught him the technique! It was suicidal! I shouldn't have – but he was so – determined – and he had so much potential!"

"It was fated to happen," Neji said, mind still reeling with shock, "Don't blame yourself. You can't change that."

Neji left, a few minutes later, not quite knowing what to say.

_He never was meant to be a ninja, _he realized, _no matter how hard he tried, fate came down on him in the end, defeated him, put him in his place._

– X –

Neji collapsed to the ground, breath heaving, as the blue chakra disappeared from around him. He felt slightly dizzy from all the spinning.

The Kaiten.

He thought he'd mastered it – at least, he'd been able to release his chakra, and form something resembling a dome, though not quite. He'd need lots of practice, but he'd get there soon.

_How can I do it though? _Neji wondered. _How will I know when it's strong enough? I need something to practice against? I've done the basics, but now I need something actually attacking me to improve…_

He set up traps after that – activating them with a tug of razor wire, sending shuriken and kunai spinning at him from the trees. He could only handle a handful though, and they were too slow. He deflected them easily, without using the jutsu. He didn't need to. After having Tenten on a team, deflecting poorly aimed, slow weapons was almost involuntary.

_Tenten… _

What Neji needed, was _lots _of weapons, aimed precisely and zooming at him with super speed. And as he remembered his teammate, twisting around gracefully in the air, shooting out barrage after barrage of gleaming metal, Neji realized what he had to do, and _who _he needed, to perfect his ultimate technique.

– X –

"Neji! You're here!" Tenten said the next morning, when Neji came to visit her. "I thought you might come. Gai-sensei dropped yesterday evening. He told me about Lee…" she trailed off mournfully. "It's terrible… I can't believe it – his dream was to become a great ninja, you know…"

"It's sad," Neji agreed, biting back the part about it being destined. For some reason, he got the impression Tenten would disapprove if he said that, though he wondered why he cared in the first place.

They were both silent for a while, until Tenten spoke.

"How's your training going?" Tenten asked.

"Well enough," Neji replied, "My first match is Naruto, so that shouldn't be an issue."

"Oh! Yeah, you probably could beat him," Tenten nodded, as Neji raised an eyebrow.

_Could beat him?_

"I've never seen him fight, but Gai told me a little about the match. He seems more talented than I thought, you know. Some of his moves seemed pretty creative…"

"Tenten, I do not consider – _those kind of techniques – _creative."

"Not _that_, ugh, that bit was gross. I couldn't believe it. But I mean with the clones and stuff. You're better though, much better, but you shouldn't take him too lightly. I'm sure you'll win in the end, as long as you're careful."

"He's the one who needs to be careful," Neji sneered.

"If you say so… they're letting me out today evening. Sooner than expected, actually!"

"When will you be able to start training again?" Neji asked.

"Almost immediately, as long as I don't stress myself. Why?"

Neji squared his shoulders, thinking of how to put it across to her. All the finalists were training for the finals. Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto and Kakashi had all practically disappeared from the village. He'd seen the Nara's team with their sensei, obviously trying to persuade him to train. Hinata's pest of a teammate was training with his family. Everyone was training with someone or another – usually their Jounin sensei, or a family member of Jounin level.

Neji, however, was _not _asking any Hyuuga for help. He couldn't really, considering he was trying to learn a forbidden technique. And even otherwise, he wasn't going to bend his ego enough to ask, so family was out of bounds. Gai was obviously too distraught over Lee, and Neji would prefer _not _to train one-on-one with the man anyway. Though Gai was talented, there was only a limited amount of his youthful company Neji could stand, and without Lee there to distract him, or Tenten there to provide Neji company, he'd probably explode by the end of one training session.

And besides, Tenten's talents were exactly what he needed right then. He knew it would be odd, asking his genin teammate, when everyone was going to their Jounin sensei or highly-ranked family member. People may even _talk _about it, since she was a girl, and since she'd _failed _her round_ (_though in Neji's eyes, Tenten was not a failure). But Tenten was the only person who he tolerated enough, who knew him well enough, who would help him where he needed help. She was the only person for whom he could bend his ego enough to ask a favor, and at that time, the only person he wanted to be around. For some reason, it seems like most of Konoha was vindicating him after the episode with Hinata.

So Neji swallowed his pride, opened his mouth, and asked.

"Will you help me train for the upcoming exams?"

Tenten was shocked, as he'd expected. She gaped at him for a few seconds, before finally speaking, disbelievingly.

"M-me? You want me – to help _you?_"

"Yes," Neji said firmly.

"B-but – don't most people usually ask-"

"I don't care about them. I'm asking you. If you don't want to, you can say so."

"I do!" Tenten cried, "I'd love to! It's just – I'm still a genin and-"

"You're good enough for me," Neji affirmed.

"Are you – are you sure?"

"Yes," Neji repeated, his eyes boring into hers, "I am sure. Will you?"

Tenten beamed at him, her cheeks darkening.

"Of course! Of course I will!"

Neji heaved a sigh of relief.

"Good."

He didn't thank her, but Tenten didn't care. She was still trying to absorb the fact that _Neji _had asked _her _to help him train for the upcoming exams – that, and she was trying not to jump up and down with glee.

A part of her knew that he could just be using her, and that he had no one else. But still, it showed he did hold her in high enough regard to choose her over a Jounin. It showed that he trusted her abilities, and that maybe, possibly, he considered her a good enough friend.

"So, um – when do we start?"

"Do you think you will be able to by tomorrow?" he asked.

Tenten rolled her eyes – expect Neji to put her through grueling training the moment she got discharged after recovering.

"I suppose so," she muttered, and he sensed her slightly annoyed reaction.

"Meet me at our training field, seven o clock sharp."

Tenten sighed, but arranged her features into a smile when she felt his gaze on her.

"Sure!" she chirped, "I'll be there."

He left after that, and she slumped back down against her pillows. Training with Neji would probably be harsher than she expected.

– X –

"Hi, Neji," Tenten greeted as she walked into the training field the next morning.

Neji looked up from the scroll he was reading, surveying her carefully. Her injuries had healed, but she was limping slightly – it was barely anything. And she'd just been discharged the previous night.

He nodded at her, wondering what to say. It was a little awkward – he didn't know where to start.

"So – um – what are we doing today?" Tenten asked, pulling out a kunai, which she proceeded to spin around her index finger.

"Sit," Neji muttered, gesturing to the ground.

Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you wanted to train…" she said.

"Yes, but you're obviously in no condition to-"

"Of course I am!" Tenten interjected indignantly, "I'm perfectly fine!"

He smiled slightly at her stubbornness, but shook his head.

"You just got discharged, Tenten. Rest for a day. I don't want to be responsible for injuring you unnecessarily."

"Hey! Who says _you'll _be the one injuring _me? _Don't get _so _confident, Neji Hyuuga!"

Neji's smile widened, though barely. It wasn't even noticeable – it was more of his face just relaxing from its usual tight expression.

"Just sit, will you. I need to talk to you."

"Okay," Tenten said, scrunching her eyebrows as she sat down on the grass, maintaining the respectable two feet from him.

_I like her, _Neji thought, though he meant it in the platonic way, obviously.

"You know this is kinda queer – you wanting to talk and all," Tenten told him, but Neji didn't bother replying, spreading the scroll out on the grass between them.

"Tenten, what I'm about to tell you and show you is top secret, okay. You can't tell _anyone _about it. Not even Gai-sensei."

"Ok-ay," Tenten said, obviously bemused. "What's up?"

"Do you know what this is?" Neji asked, gesturing to the scroll. It was filled with complex diagrams, and lines and lines of print.

"A scroll for some advanced jutsu which you're hoping to master?" Tenten deadpanned, and he nodded. The girl was quite perceptive.

"It's called the Kaiten. Heavenly Spin. It's an advanced Hyuuga jutsu which only a few _Main House _members can attempt. It's forbidden for Branch House members to learn."

"…oh," Tenten said, eyes widening, "Um – wow. You're – uh –"

"Branch House, yes," Neji said bitterly, "The Hyuuga don't know I have this. But I'm going to master it, and show them all that I am more talented than them, despite being a mere, lowly Branch house member," he spat, his voice shaking slightly towards the end.

"Neji, Neji, calm down," Tenten said, looking slightly worried. "You – _stole _this, didn't you?"

"I borrowed it," Neji snarled, "I am a Hyuuga, it is my right. I should not be forbidden to learning a technique simply because of the fact-"

"I get it, alright," Tenten said quickly, "But since _I'm _not Hyuuga – I could get pretty screwed, right? Since you're showing me _your clan's secret forbidden techniques!"_

She sounded slightly hysterical. It annoyed Neji.

"I'll take full responsibility, but that won't happen. The Hyuuga won't care about you. Worse thing, Hiashi will acti- it's fine, Tenten," Neji muttered, mentally chastising himself for nearly revealing the curse seal.

"Neji," Tenten said uncertainly, "This clan stuff – about the Houses – there's more to it than you told me earlier, isn't there?"

"…"

"I – know that the houses are estranged, and that – the Main House has some privileges that you don't – but I don't understand – why do you _hate _them so much? And why couldn't you just – _ask _Hiashi for permission? I'm sure he's not _that _unreasonable…"

"He is," Neji snapped, "And it's really none of your business."

Tenten's face fell, and she looked away for a moment.

"Sorry," she said softly, "I was just – _worried _about you. You get so _upset _over this family stuff, I wish I could help."

"No, I'm sorry," Neji said, feeling guilty at her expression. She had been genuinely concerned. It was the first time he'd actually apologized to someone.

"I'll tell you what it is, Tenten, but you must not tell _anyone._"

"You don't have to," Tenten said, shaking her head, "I shouldn't have asked."

"I've been meaning to tell you actually," Neji told her. He trusted her after all, and he needed to vent his frustration out to someone.

"Well, if you want to, go ahead, I'm listening," Tenten offered, leaning forward slightly.

Neji heaved a sigh, before he began to recount his tale, voice heavy, eyes directed upwards.

"Like I told you before, the Hyuuga has always been divided into two families, the Main House and the Branch House. The Main House had certain – privileges that Branch House members were denied…"

Tenten nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"Branch House members were almost like protectors, _servants _of the Main House if they wished. It was up to each individual member. Some of them didn't do much, but others, the cruel, callous ones – they made the Branch House members their slaves."

"Why though? Why did they do this?"

"It was mainly to protect the secrets of the Byakugan. From outsiders. The Main House ran the family, and the Branch House served under their command."

"But – didn't the Branch House – do anything about it?" Tenten asked carefully.

Neji sighed, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

"They couldn't, Tenten. Whenever a child was born into the Main House – on their third birthday, they were marked. _Cursed."_

"What – do you mean?" Tenten asked, eyes widening.

Neji slowly raised his hand to his forehead protector, tugging it off with one pull. He'd never shown his mark to anyone – but he trusted Tenten, and it was the only explanation.

Tenten gasped as she saw the green cross stretched across his pale forehead.

"Neji – what is that?"

""I am cursed," Neji said, his voice shaking audibly now, full of disgust, "I am a Branch House member, so like all those in my family, the Main House branded me with this mark on – Hinata's third birthday. Our father's were twins, but hers was born before mine, and hence my father and I were thrown into the Branch House. Hinata's the heiress of the Main House, and on her third birthday, I was branded with this mark, and my destiny was decided for me, before I could do anything about it. I had no choice."

Neji was trembling now, his voice thicker and shakier than before. Tenten was silent, gazing at him almost pitifully, waiting for him to continue.

"Main House members can activate this curse mark, with just a simple hand seal. It causes pain, unimaginable _pain _to the bearer of the mark. Hiashi used it on my father a few times – I saw it with my own eyes. My father screaming out in agony – writhing on the floor – and Hiashi just watched, watched his own _brother _suffer because of him…"

Neji's shoulders shook violently, and Tenten reached out with a hand, but then seemed to think better of it, withdrawing her arm.

"Neji…" she murmured sadly.

"It's always been like that in the Hyuuga. We Branch House members have always been cursed and controlled. But that's not all. On Hinata's third birthday – she was kidnapped – by Cloud shinobi. Hiashi intercepted the kidnapper, and killed him. He turned out to be a Cloud country leader who had just signed a peace treaty with the Leaf. It became clear that he had been after the Hyuuga's secrets. His death angered the cloud, and they demanded Hiashi's body in retribution. The Leaf didn't want to instigate a war with them though, and so the Hyuuga clan was pressurized. But they didn't want to send Hiashi, _their Main House _member. They didn't want to give him up – he was too _good _for them. So instead they – they took – my – my - " Neji clenched his fist, squeezing his eyes shut. There was a sharp intake of breath, before Tenten spoke softly.

"Your father," she asked gently, sounding pained.

Neji nodded, banging his fist on the grass, taking a deep breath.

"They did. They took my father, since he was _Branch House. _They sacrificed _his _life, for no fault of his! He had to suffer for his brother's mistakes! _I _had to suffer. They sent my father, because he was born, just a few seconds after his brother. They killed him – all because _Hinata _was kidnapped – my _father was murdered by the Main family_."

"Oh Neji," Tenten whispered, reaching out to place a hand on his shaking shoulder, "Neji, I'm so _sorry…"_

"My mother had died in childbirth. I was alone after that. And Hiashi lived. Hinata lived. And I – I lost my _father _because of them, because they were _superior, _because they were _unmarked. _That's when they marked me, branded me on my forehead – that's why – that's why – I despise them so much! That's why – during the exams – Hinata – I couldn't stop myself – she's pathetic and weak – and I – I almost _killed _her – "

Neji's eyes were damp now, but he shut them, holding back the tears. He would _not _cry in front of Tenten. She removed her hand from his shoulder, still looking sympathetic, though slightly surprised as well.

"I'm sorry Neji," she repeated, shaking her head, "It's not fair to you. I'm so sorry."

"You're not – disgusted? About what I told you about the exams? I nearly killed her, and I don't even regret it."

Tenten shook her head.

"Neji, I didn't see the match, and I don't know if what you did was right. Maybe it wasn't. But – I'm an orphan too you know – my parents were killed before I can even recall them – and when I think of those unknown shinobi who caused them to die, I feel rage, hatred, more than anything I've felt before – and I understand, maybe just a little of what you're going through…"

Neji was stunned – he'd known Tenten was an orphan, but he didn't know she'd be so _accepting _of what he'd done. Most of the others had seemed furious with him, including Lee.

"I'm not disgusted with you, Neji. I couldn't be. You're not a bad person. Maybe you shouldn't have done what you did – but no one else can judge you, since they don't know what you've been through. Maybe you lost control. But – everyone makes mistakes, and I'm not going to think any worse of you. To me, Hinata seems like a nice girl – and I doubt she deserved what you made her go through – but like I said, I'm not one to judge you, Neji. It's alright."

He was slightly comforted by her words, and even more grateful she hadn't been there to witness the match. He doubted she'd be this understanding then; hearing it from him, and seeing it happen were two entirely different things. Still, she _understood. _She seemed to understand him, and Neji was relieved. He didn't know why, but if Tenten had distanced herself from him, or showed disappointed, he would have felt terrible.

"Thank you for telling me all of this," Tenten was saying, "I know it's not easy for you to confide in anyone and I appreciate it. I promise I won't tell a single soul about what you've told me, Neji. And – if you ever feel the need to – talk about it again, I'll always be there for you…"

"Thanks," Neji mumbled, not quite knowing what else to say. He felt slightly awkward.

"Hey, it's nothing," Tenten said, shooting him a weak smile. "So – is there anything else you want to talk about?"

Neji was silent for a moment – things had changed between him and Tenten, he realized. He'd just told her his darkest secret, and for some reason, he felt better, if only a tiny bit. He wondered why he trusted her so easily – was she actually a friend to him? Had they gotten that close over the months?

Neji didn't know what it was, but something changed between him and Tenten from that day. He found it easier to talk to her, about anything, and he admitted to himself, that Tenten wasn't just a mere teammate to him anymore. She wasn't just a tolerable person who didn't annoy him. She was someone he genuinely liked, and genuinely cared about – she was his first true _friend._

That's when Neji understood what Lee had been talking about, why Lee had been so upset in the Forest of Death, why Tenten had seemed cold as well.

_She doesn't know how much she actually means to me, _Neji realized. _I'll have to let her know somehow, that's she's not just a mere teammate – but I don't want to give her the wrong impression. I don't want to get too close either. I'm better off alone, anyway. I don't need her all the time._

He finally spoke, shaking away this revelation.

"No. Let's start – I need to explain the theory of the Kaiten to you."

"Okay!"

Tenten listened patiently, while Neji explained every detail of his technique and the Hyuuga jutsus. She'd already known almost everything about his Byakugan (except for one jealously guarded secret regarding his Blind Spot which he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her about) so he proceeded to explain the rest of the Hyuuga techniques and the secrets about chakra points. He realized he was giving away secrets, secrets which _no _outsider was supposed to know about – but he didn't care. At that moment, he trusted Tenten more than he would ever trust any of his clan members.

Tenten herself, was flattered that Neji had taken her into his confidence. She'd felt sympathetic towards his plight, and she had to hold herself back from hugging him when he'd been speaking about his father, on the verge of tears. Neji wouldn't have appreciated a hug, she knew, so she had restrained herself. But there was one thought that continued to plague her mind, as Neji continued to explain the jutsu – was he just using her, for his training? Was that the only reason he told her everything – because he needed to brief her about his jutsu if they were going to train together? Because he needed to vent out his frustration, and she was the only person who would be convenient to tell, who he knew would listen without judging him?

Tenten couldn't help but wonder, but she pushed these thoughts away. Neji needed her, and whether he liked her as a friend or not, whether he _truly _trusted her as a person or not, he needed her help, and she was going to put her heart and soul and chakra into helping him.

"That's about it," Neji concluded, "Did you understand?"

"Yeah," Tenten nodded, "but I don't get why exactly you need _me _here…"

Neji glared at her.

"Weren't you listening?" he snapped impatiently, "To perfect the shield and test it's strength, I need to be attacked constantly, from all possible directions. And the only possible method I can think of-"

"You want me to use Twin Rising Dragons on you!" Tenten exclaimed, as it dawned on her. "That's it, isn't it?"

Neji nodded.

"No!" she shrieked, and he scowled.

"Why not?"

"Are you crazy – that's too dangerous!"

"I trust your aim."

"Exactly! That's the problem! My aim is perfect! I won't miss you! And you want me to attack you from all angles with all my weapons – Neji even _you _won't be able to defend against that!"

"You think?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Don't try that tactic on me," Tenten fired him, "I'm not falling for it. I am _not _using Twin Rising Dragons on you, and that's final."

"Tenten, it would be the _perfect _way – for me to master the Kaiten in all its entirety! Don't you understand? When the chakra shield is fully formed, even _your _weapons will be deflected!" Neji retorted. "You said you'd help me train. So stick to your word!"

Tenten sighed, raking a hand through her brown bangs in frustration.

"Fine. _Fine. _But not immediately. I want to see you actually _use _the Kaiten first. However much of it you can do."

Neji smirked slightly.

"I'm glad you've agreed," he said.

"I don't want to, trust me," Tenten snapped. "When are we starting?"

"Tomorrow? It's getting late, and I'm not letting you fight or train today. So how about tomorrow, same time, same place?"

"I'll be there," Tenten affirmed, nodding at him.

"I'll see you then," Neji said, getting up as he tucked his scroll away. He waited for a moment, and Tenten scrambled up as well, interpreting this as an unspoken invitation for her to join him.

They took to the trees, exiting the training area. It was nearly 2 o clock – they'd missed lunch. When they'd reached the Konoha marketplace, Tenten spoke.

"D'you think we should check on Lee?" she asked. "I went last night before leaving – but the medics didn't let me in…"

Neji nodded, and they leapt over the rooftops, heading towards the hospital.

Lee was still unconscious, and Neji and Tenten stood in silence over his bed for a while, not saying a word. Tenten was shaking slightly. They left after a while, after speaking to Gai for a few moments.

The man had bags under his eyes, his usually cheerful face pale and haggard. He looked like he'd aged at least ten years.

"Sensei, have you been eating?" Tenten asked, and when he grunted in response, she crossed her arms.

"You have to take care of your health. You're a shinobi too."

"He hasn't been sleeping either, I think," Neji added, and Tenten huffed in exasperation.

"I can't," Gai said thickly, "Not when Lee – not when he – Lee needs me!"

"Gai-sensei," Tenten said, "I think you should get something to eat. I can stay with Lee for a while."

"No," Gai said adamantly, "I will not leave his side. What if he wakes, and I am not there?"

Neji scanned over Lee's body, and from the chakra patterns, deduced that Lee wasn't going to wake sometime soon. It gave him a bad feeling, but there was no way he was telling Gai the same.

"Alright," Tenten conceded, "But I'll bring you some lunch in a while."

Neji and Tenten left after that, heading their separate ways.

– X –

When Neji reached the Hyuuga compound, he learnt that Hinata had been discharged, though she was still sick. He hadn't seen her though – she was in her bedroom, with her teammates, or so he was told (by one of the younger Branch House members, a boy a few years older than him). He felt a tinge of remorse, but then cast it away, retreating to his room to meditate. He found it oddly lonely, for some reason, something he'd never minded before. He shrugged it off though, waiting almost eagerly for the training session tomorrow.

He was positive, that with Tenten helping him, he would master the Kaiten. And when he used it in the exam, it would be like a slap to Hiashi's face.

– X –

"Okay, so I'm not using my jutsu yet," Tenten told Neji, who stood in the center of the clearing, awaiting her attack. It was their first training session together. They'd started off with their usual routing – Neji meditating while Tenten sharpened her weapons and then practiced on her targets. After that, he'd told her to attack him.

"Just start," Neji said impatiently, bending until he was in position. Tenten eyed him warily, before releasing a flurry of shuriken.

He batted them away with his hand, spinning once on his heel. They were slower than usual – Tenten obviously wasn't putting in much effort.

"Tenten," Neji said, his voice hard as steel. "Be serious."

Tenten sighed, shaking her head.

"Fine. But you asked for it," she said, a note of warning in her voice, before she leaped up, fusillading him with weapon after weapon.

Neji smirked to himself – that was more like it.

There were kunai, shuriken, senbon – Tenten's light weapons - all whizzing towards him from different angles, at different speeds (though not her fastest speed). He gathered his chakra, digging his heel into the ground, before he began spinning around, releasing it at once. The chakra swirled around him, knocking away everything Tenten had aimed at him (there weren't too many, but not too few either). He'd impressed her, probably, because she increased the force of her attack, upping the number of weapons, and jumping from tree to tree so she could hit him from more varied angles.

_I knew she was the perfect training partner, _Neji thought triumphantly, as his chakra deflected weapon after weapon. He felt it begin to dissipate after a while, and though he urged more out of his body, he couldn't, and seconds later, a kunai whistled past his ear – too close. Tenten seemed to have noticed this, for she stopped her throwing – but not before one last shuriken zipped past his arm, slashing the beige sleeve and drawing blood. Neji bit his tongue.

"Neji!" Tenten cried furiously, as the remaining wisps of blue chakra floated away. "At least warn me when to stop! I had no idea my last few weapons penetrated! I could've injured you pretty badly!"

She landed down next to him, peering at his arm.

"It's nothing," Neji muttered, wrapping it up with his bandages, "Now I know my limit. I need to surpass it."

"And you wanted me to start off with Twin Rising Dragons," Tenten said, rolling her eyes.

"We'll get to that soon, I assure you," Neji said, but Tenten made an exasperated noise.

"Look Neji, I really don't feel comfortable with this method of training. I'm hurling lethal weapons at you, and though I will admit, your Kaiten is pretty cool – I didn't expect you to have made this much progress already by yourself, that too in _two _days – yes, I know you're a genius – but still! I can't tell when it stops – shielding you, and if for some reason, you mess up – _don't _look at me like that – or your chakra messes up – what then?"

"I _won't _mess up, Tenten," Neji said confidently, "Let's just try again. And you aiming from different angles helps."

They tried again. And again. And again.

After four tries, Neji was exhausted, and he slumped on the floor, after having used up most of his chakra. He could deflect Tenten's light weapons, for about thirty to forty seconds at a time, but no more.

"We're stopping now," Tenten insisted, and Neji nodded, gasping for breath.

"Will you be okay?" she asked, crouching down beside him. He nodded, still panting.

"You overdid it," Tenten scolded, but Neji shook his head.

"Hold on," he muttered, and stayed there, breathing heavily for a few minutes. He stood up after that, a bit unsteadily, Tenten watching him anxiously.

"I guess we're done for the day," she said, "Four's your limit."

"…"

"Come on, let's go," Tenten said, and they left the training ground, walking this time. Neji didn't have the chakra or strength for anything more.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Tenten asked, "I'm going to the hospital."

"I'll come with you," Neji said, and they left.

Lee was awake when they met him, but he was unusually dreary, his half-lidded eyes cracking open as he struggled to sit up when they entered.

"Careful," Tenten murmured, grabbing his shoulders. "Don't stress yourself."

"Tenten…" Lee croaked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Lee," she said softly, and Neji thought he saw her eyes glistening. "How about you?"

"I'll be okay," Lee said, his voice void of its usual fervor, "You know me… I'll be back on my feet in no time…"

"Of course you will," Tenten said tenderly, patting him on his mussed up black locks. Neji looked away, opting to stay quiet.

"Neji," Lee said after a while, "My rival – I guess we won't be fighting each other soon – but wait till I recover – you saw my technique…"

"Yeah," Neji muttered, not having the heart to tell Lee, that he _wouldn't _recover, and they _wouldn't _be fighting.

They stayed for a few hours more – Tenten seemed to loathe the idea of leaving, and Neji found himself wanting to stay as well. Gai dropped by with lunch for the three of them (Lee was restricted to hospital food). The room was silent a lot – it was odd, with Lee not being his usual ebullient, garrulous self.

_I'll defeat that Gaara if I ever get to fight him in the finals, _Neji vowed to himself, _that Temari girl as well._

When they left the sky was darkening. Lee had to take his rest – his medications were making him drowsy, and he was half-asleep when Neji and Tenten finally crept out of his room.

"We'll come back tomorrow," Tenten whispered to Gai, who patted her on the back, nodding mutely.

"I hate seeing him like this," Tenten said when she and Neji were out of the hospital.

"You shouldn't give him false hopes though," Neji said.

"What do you mean?" she demanded.

"He actually thinks he's going to recover. But he's not. You shouldn't agree with him when he says he will, it will unnecessarily hurt him more when he realized his fate," Neji said tonelessly.

"We can't tell him that! He'll – he'll be broken!" Tenten argued.

"He already is, Tenten."

"But – I don't believe that Neji! It's Lee. He can overcome anything, I _know _he can. It's just – wouldn't be right! It wouldn't be fair."

"Life isn't fair."

"I know but – I just have a feeling he'll recover," Tenten said.

"That's impossible," Neji scoffed.

"Stop being so pessimistic!" she exclaimed, eyes flashing. "He will!"

"I'm being realistic Tenten. There's no medic here who can heal him. You heard what Gai-sensei said. He's lucky to be alive – you didn't see that match, Tenten. He'll be lucky if he can walk properly," Neji said grimly, and Tenten bit her lip, looking utterly distraught.

"I just can't believe it," she whispered, "He's our _teammate_. Lee…"

"Well it's happening," Neji muttered, before saying, "It's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah…"

– X –

They fell into a kind of routine after that. They'd meet at 7 o clock, at the training grounds, and train till around noon. At noon they'd go visit Lee at the hospital, usually brining lunch on the way for themselves and Gai. They'd leave at around 3 or 4, and train again till 7 in the evening, after which they'd head back to the hospital, pay Lee one last visit, before heading to their respective homes for dinner.

Unfortunately, Lee's condition didn't improve. Lee himself was downcast and had a melancholic air about him – they met a panicked Sakura one day, who informed them that he had tried leaving the hospital on his crutches. Tenten had fired him for nearly half an hour after this incident, threatening that if he tried such a stunt again, she'd summon chains and tie him to his bed. Lee agreed, sheepishly promising her he wouldn't.

Neji didn't meet his Hyuuga relatives or Hinata – he was usually out of the compound, or barreled in his own room. He actually preferred it that way.

Two weeks had passed and his training was progressing well. Tenten was the ideal person for him to train against. He could now hold out against her weapons for two to three minutes at a time, and he could attempt the Kaiten five to six times a day, before exhausting himself. He could hold out against her light weapons – she'd yet to bring out her heavy ones – the giant shuriken and the scythes. Twin Rising Dragons was still far away – Tenten refused to attempt it until she was perfectly confident that Neji could block every single weapon she hurled at him. He and Tenten had also begun taijutsu sparring – it was beneficial to both of them. Tenten could hold out against Neji for about fifteen to twenty minutes, until she tired enough for him to land a strike on her. Neji never injected his strikes with chakra though; he didn't want to plug up _her _chakra points.

Since the last couple days, Neji and Tenten had also begun staying over at the hospital, in Lee's room. It was the only way to make Gai leave, and get some sleep. They rotated, the three of them, sleeping on the armchair across from Lee's bed and for once, Neji didn't mind going through this inconvenience for Lee. They didn't speak much – Lee was usually fast asleep by the time Tenten and Gai left after dinner, when Neji was staying over. Gai would relieve Neji at 6 o clock in the morning, so he could change and bathe and be in time for training.

That day, when Neji reached the training grounds, Tenten was already there, sharpening a kunai. She lunged at Neji when he entered, and he had to flip backwards to avoid the weapons that came whizzing at him.

"Impatient, are we?" he murmured, slightly amused.

"Bored," she shot back, twirling a shuriken around her fingertip.

He fell into his stance, before charging at her, and she blocked his strikes with a pole she summoned, jabbing at him when she got the chance.

Ten minutes passed like that – they attacked, defended, jumped, leaped, dodged, whirled around. Tenten leapt over Neji, aiming a roundhouse kick at his head, and he had to roll over to dodge it. He jumped back to his feet, sighting Tenten behind him perched on a tree branch, when suddenly, he felt a sharp stinging pain at the back of his head, near his neck.

"Neji!" Tenten shrieked, as he fell on his knees to the ground, clutching his head as a shuriken clattered at his feet. His head stung, and his hair was damp – when Neji pulled his hands away, he was shocked to see that there was blood, trickling down his fingertips.

"Neji, I'm so sorry," Tenten gasped, running towards him. "Here, I'll bandage it for you," she offered.

"I'm fine," Neji muttered, attempting to bandage it himself. He couldn't however, as he couldn't quite see the scope of the injury, and finally he had to relent, allowing Tenten to do the job. She was gentle, dabbing at the cut first, her fingers parting his long locks.

Neji _hated _the thought of anyone _touching _his hair, or any part of him for that matter, but Tenten was being gentle, and it was necessary. He hissed, as searing pain jolted down his neck.

"Stay still," Tenten muttered from behind him, carefully wrapping the bandaged around his neck so that it covered the wound. She stood up wiping her blood stained hands against her capris.

"How did that happen?" she finally asked, hands on her hips, "Didn't you see that coming?"

Neji ground his teeth – it was bound to come out sooner or later, and now he'd have no choice but to reveal his secret to Tenten. He trusted her, but he had always liked having the impression of being almost indomitable.

"It's my blind spot," he said after a while, ignoring Tenten's gasp. "Every Byakugan user has one, and looks like you discovered mine."

"I'm sorry," Tenten apologized, "But – I didn't know. You should've told us earlier though, Neji. That could have caused us trouble in missions."

"Don't you _dare _tell Gai," he said, scowling at her. He knew it was selfish – she was right, it _could _jeopardize the team, that relied heavily on Neji having almost 360 degree vision. But he didn't want his secret revealed to anyone else.

"Neji," Tenten began.

"No. Just don't."

"Fine. I'll have to cover for you during missions, then."

"…that won't be necessary. I move my head, so my range still encompasses everything," Neji pointed out defensively.

"All right… but you really should have told me about this before we started training. I could have injured you worse – that shuriken barely grazed your head, Neji."

"Well now you know. So be careful where you aim."

"Neji," Tenten began hesitatingly, "Don't you think you're – too dependant on your Byakugan? I know it's very powerful, but even it has its weakness, and that could cost you in battle-"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Neji snapped, "It's not a weakness if it can't be overcome, and I _can _overcome it, by moving. You're making a big deal out of nothing!"

"…fine," Tenten relented, shaking her head. "Are you up to sparring more, or do you want to cut it short and surprise Lee with an early visit?"

Neji sighed – his head _was _throbbing. It probably wasn't a good idea to attempt the Kaiten, which would make him dizzy.

"Let's visit Lee."

– X –

A week later, and there were only seven days left for the final rounds. Neji could now hold his Kaiten for up to five minutes, and deflect most of Tenten's arsenal, even her oversized triple bladed shuriken and maces.

"I think it's time," Neji told her one practice, and Tenten bit her lip, twisting her fingers.

"I guess so," she muttered, though she seemed reluctant.

Neji stepped into position at the centre of the training ground, and Tenten crouched a few paces away from him, removing two scrolls from her pockets. She placed them on either side of her, her brown eyes meeting his.

"Ready?" she asked.

Neji nodded.

"Okay… here goes," he heard her say, and then suddenly there was a poof of smoke as two dragons comprised of smoke twisted through the air.

"Twin Rising Dragons!" Tenten cried, leaping up, the smoke dragons entwining around her spinning figure, her scrolls whipping around her.

And then before Neji could blink, he was attacked.

Weapon after weapon after weapon flew at him, from every possible angle, at lightning speed. Tenten had pelted him with enough to provide for an entire army, Neji thought wryly, as he began spinning for his life, whirling around as he emitted as much chakra as he could.

It was exhausting – the weapons continued to come at him in relentless waves, and Neji was growing slightly dizzy, his heels aching from the spinning. He was finding it harder and harder to squeeze out more chakra from himself, but he had to, as barrage of barrage was fired at him.

Kunai. Shuriken. Senbon. Fuuma Shuriken. Mace. Scythe. Knife.

Neji felt his head spin, black splotches appearing in his vision, obfuscating the blue chakra whirring around him. He couldn't see Tenten, but he could see the weapons coming at him, nearly penetrating his chakra shield.

Soon, his legs felt like lead, and Neji felt the last drains of chakra leave him – the stream of weapons had lessened, thankfully, and a few moments later the chakra shield wisped out of existence, and Neji had to bat away the last few kunai with his hands, as blackness took over his vision.

He heard Tenten calling his name, sounding rather excited.

"I think I've used up all my chakra," he murmured, feeling extremely disoriented.

His head was spinning, his ears pounding, his vision darkening. Neji felt his legs give away under him, as he lurched forwards.

He barely felt the landing – the last thing he saw was Tenten, running towards him wide-eyed, shouting something.

And then he fainted.

– X –

When Neji regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Tenten peering worriedly over him, her hand on his head. She quickly retracted it as his eyes fluttered open.

"Neji?" she almost shrieked, "Are you alright?"

"…yeah," he managed, struggling to sit up. He still felt slightly dizzy, and exhausted.

"You should've given me a signal to stop! You're mad! You shouldn't use up so much chakra!" Tenten was saying hysterically, "I told you Twin Rising Dragons was _not _a good idea! God Neji, you're as bad as Lee…"

"Tenten," he said, stopping her mid-tirade, "It's fine. I'm getting there. We'll try again tomorrow."

"No!" she shouted furiously, "I'm putting my foot down! I won't-"

He grabbed her wrist, and for some reason this shut her up effectively.

"I _have _to master this, Tenten," he said, his voice surprisingly coherent, "You know that."

"… you're being foolish," she whispered, staring downwards, "but fine."

The next day he did better – he was standing on his feet when Tenten finished her onslaught, hurrying towards him looking worried.

The day after, he was even better. They sparred with taijutsu for a while after, and Neji managed to retain his chakra. He figured out a way to waste less of it, decreasing the radius of his Kaiten sphere – this was more effective, since it was smaller, he could hold it out for longer. It was slightly riskier, since it allowed the weapons to come to a closer proximity to him before he could deflect them, but it served the same purpose.

Three days before the exam, Neji could deflect anything and everything Tenten threw at him with relative ease, spinning gracefully in and out of his Kaiten. They'd cut it close, but he'd managed to master it, just days before the finals. And Neji knew he owed it to her.

Lee had been moved to a different ward, and they'd been forbidden from visiting him, something which angered Tenten.

"We're his teammates!" she had protested angrily, "They can't stop us from seeing him!"

But they had, and today Neji and Tenten were about to go their respective ways after training, since visiting Lee would be pointless. It was nearly three o clock – they'd skipped lunch, and it had been a rather grueling session. They'd agreed not to meet again in the evening.

"Well, bye Neji," Tenten called as they reached the market place.

"Where are you going?" he asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Lunch," she said, as if it were obvious. It was.

Neji struggled with himself for a moment, before finally speaking.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" he asked politely.

Tenten stared at him for a moment, before grinning.

"Sure!" she said cheerfully, "C'mon, where do you want to go?"

It was the first time they'd eaten lunch alone together – they went to a simple seafood bar (Tenten knew he liked herring) and Neji found he quite enjoyed her company. It wasn't awkward at all, though he didn't speak much, allowing her to do most of the talking. Neji actually liked listening to her talk – she spoke about things which interested him. Mainly jutsus and shinobi, and things like that. She often rambled about weapons, and Neji was amused to note the way her eyes sparkled when she started on that topic. She go on passionately for minutes, raving about them. Neji didn't express much enthusiasm about anything openly, so he found this quite amusing. She certainly wasn't as annoying as Lee and Gai when _they _expressed their enthusiasm. Tenten was tolerable – more than tolerable.

Tenten seemed to realize that they were friends, something which relieved Neji. He didn't want her harboring the misconception that he was using her for his training. She seemed cheerier when she bade him goodbye that day, and Neji felt an odd, warm feeling blossoming in his chest. It was pleasant, and Neji realized, he actually _liked _having Tenten around. He enjoyed her company, and though he didn't speak much, she could tell she enjoyed his as well. It was a mutually beneficial relationship, he supposed, and one he intended to maintain.

They had two more days to practice after that, and they went for lunch on both days. It became kind of a routine after that, something which Neji much preferred to eating holed up in his room in the Hyuuga compound, or worse, sitting straight-backed at a table full of Main House members.

The day of the exam itself, they met again at the training grounds. Neji didn't feel too nervous. In fact, he felt strangely confident, and excited. He couldn't _wait _to show off his Kaiten, and he knew he had Tenten to thank for that.

They didn't spar or fight too hard. It would be foolish wasting chakra. Yet, Neji needed some practice, just to be on the safe side. Tenten hurled a few barrages of shuriken and kunai at Neji, and he held his Kaiten for a little under a minute, deflecting all of them perfectly. They clattered to the ground around him, forming a kind of circle.

"Perfect, Neji," Tenten complimented from behind him, and Neji detected a note of pride in her voice. "Not even a scratch!"

He smirked, turning his head towards her.

"That was enough of a warm-up. Let's go."

They made their way to the stadium where the finals were going to be held, traveling at an easy pace through the treetops. When they finally reached, there was already a large crowd of spectators, waiting to get in. Neji saw the Sand trio among them, though he couldn't spot any of the other participants.

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Tenten asked, as she began to walk towards the crowd.

"Tenten wait," Neji said suddenly, impulsively placing his hands on her shoulders.

Tenten froze, obviously shocked, and Neji wondered for a moment why he'd even reached out to her like that. He'd just reacted, without thinking, but it didn't matter to him soon. There was something he needed to tell her, which he hadn't over the past weeks.

Tenten stared up at him, brown eyes slightly wide. Neji couldn't tell if she was flustered at his proximity – he was a respectable distance away from her, but his hands were on her shoulders, and he inclined his head downwards, locking her eyes with his own.

"Thank you," Neji said sincerely, "For all your help."

_I couldn't have done this without you._

Tenten hadn't been expecting that. She looked taken aback, but soon she was smiling at him, and Neji felt that pleasant warm feeling in his chest again.

"I'm glad I could help you, Neji," she said warmly, eyes twinkling. "Good luck! I know you'll do well."

He released her, nodding, and they headed inside the stadium, taking their seats. Neji spotted Hiashi, a few seats away from them, and purposefully looked away. He knew Hiashi hadn't come for _him _– but as a clan head, he was expected to come for such large events. He'd brought that brat, Hanabi with him as well. Neji was glad though – from where he was sitting, Hiashi would have a perfect view of _him _when he performed his Kaiten.

– X –

"Looks like you have something to say," Neji told Naruto, who was glaring at him with hate-filled blue eyes across the arena.

Naruto raised his fist, shaking slightly.

"I told you before," Naruto growled, "You're definitely going down."

What Neji found the oddest, was unlike Hinata, this boy actually seemed to believe in himself. It was almost amusing.

"Now for the first fight!" the proctor shouted, "Begin!"

"That's what makes it worthwhile," Neji snickered in response to Naruto, "It will be fun to watch you fall apart when you discover reality."

"Stop that blabbering!" Naruto yelled, grinning darkly. "And let's fight!"

Neji activated his Byakugan as Naruto created a horde of clones.

_I can't tell which is the real him, _Neji realized, _he's distributed the chakra pretty evenly._

"If you're going to come, then come," he told Naruto and his doppelgangers, who stood across the arena, crouched slightly in attacking position.

"Heh," one of them chuckled, "Stop acting tough."

They charged at him, like a stamped, and Neji had to duck, jump, leap, flip over and spin to avoid all of them, simultaneously kicking out with his legs and punching. There were poofs of smoke as he took out clone after clone, but this seemed to only encourage Naruto who continued to make more.

It wasn't too difficult for Neji – he remembered sparring with Tenten, as barrages and barrages of weapons were sent flying at him, aimed lethally, and he battered them away with his bare hands. They'd been sparring without chakra that day, and Neji found it useful now, since he didn't want to use the Kaiten so early on. To Neji, each clone was no more than a kunai, or a shuriken, aimed lethally by Tenten, and Neji got rid of all of them with relative ease.

Then there was finally just one left – the real Naruto – and Neji thrust his palms out, causing him to fly back several feet, and crash to the ground.

_This is the idiot who wanted to – avenge Hinata. Pathetic, useless Hinata._

"Become hokage, eh?" Neji taunted superciliously, "It's impossible, with that!"

He then commenced to verbally disparage Naruto as well, his own insecurities soon pouring out.

"The only destiny that everyone shares," Neji concluded after a while, his voice growing bitter, "Is _death_."

_I hope you heard that, Uncle Hiashi._

"SO WHAT?" Naruto hollered, obviously unaffected as he created yet another army of shadow clones. "I'M NOT GOOD AT GIVING UP!"

_Naïve idiot. He's hopeless, and yet he goes on. He's like a louder version of Hinata._

"I can already see through your attack pattern," Neji scoffed, "I'm not stupid."

"I told you to stop deciding things!" Naruto screeched back, charging at him with his multitudinous clones.

Neji fought back like he had the first time – it was slightly tougher, but not impossible, even without the Kaiten. He noticed one of the clones was staying back, preferring not to attack whilst the others dissipated into smoke.

_That's the real him, _Neji realized, dashing towards the clone, chakra glowing at his fingertips.

He pressed. Naruto went limp.

"Fearing having your points pressed, your body is doing the least amount of attacking," Neji said grimly, "The more you attack, the clearer it becomes. You're the real one."

Blood pooled out between Naruto's lips, but to Neji's surprise, he looked up, grinning wildly.

"That's why I told you it was useless," Neji went on, feeling slightly disconcerted at Naruto's expression.

"Hehe," he sniggered, "That's why I told you to stop automatically deciding things!"

And with a poof of smoke, he was gone.

"WHAT?" Neji almost shouted, "NO WAY!"

He heard cheers from the crowd – he shouldn't have cared, but it bothered him slightly. His eyes flickered over the stands, and he saw Tenten, clasping her hands together; she didn't look worried though. She just wasn't cheering along with the rest of them. There was no need to be worried. Tenten knew his jutsu well – and he hadn't even begun to use the heavier ones in his arsenal.

His eyes found hers, and he nodded slightly. She was gazing at him intensely, and he could almost hear her voice in his head.

_Neji… stop showing off… just use it already…_

Neji grit his teeth, as Naruto charged at him again, screaming something about how he should prepare to die.

_Don't worry about me, Tenten. I guess it's time for me to take this fight a little seriously._

Clones were flying towards him, like oversized orange kunai, and Neji smirked slightly, sliding the heel of his foot along the dust, his muscles tense.

And then he was spinning. It was like he was at the training fields again, with Tenten firing her weapons at him – Neji spun and spun and spun, blue chakra leaking out from his body, forming the protective sphere of the Kaiten.

_Take that, Hiashi. Take that, Main House._

He heard Naruto yelling, as he failed to get past the barrier, Neji's chakra searing his skin.

Neji soon stopped, standing perfectly still in the shallow crater his attack had formed, as Naruto panted heavily, weakened visibly by Neji's jutsu.

"You thought… you had won?" Neji asked suavely, resisting the urge to look over at the stands to see Hiashi's face.

Naruto struggled up, as Neji fluidly slid into his next position, bending his legs and stretching his arms out.

"You are know within my range," he informed Naruto, who was staring at him dumbstruck.

He gathered chakra to his hands, focusing on his target.

"Eight trigrams, sixty-four palms!" Neji cried out, before leaping at Naruto.

For the next few moments, he was jabbing at Naruto forcefully, striking chakra point after chakra point.

"Two palms! Four palms!"

_Are you watching, Hiashi? Are you watching as I, a mere Branch House member surpasses your acclaimed Main House?_

"Eight palms! Sixteen palms! Thirty-two palms!"

Naruto grunted, and Neji struck out at him once more, doubling the speed of his strikes.

"Sixty-four palms!" he concluded, feeling rather satisfied as Naruto coughed on the ground at his feet.

"Ugh…" Naruto moaned.

"I have hit sixty-four points on your body, you can no longer stand," Neji deemed necessary to enlighten him of this fact. "Painful, isn't it? Stay on your knees before a power you cannot change and realize your worthlessness," he added spitefully.

Naruto continued to whimper on the ground, body wracked by violent tremors as he struggled to stand back up.

"I told you," Naruto managed shakily, cracking an eye open, "I'm not – good at – giving up!"

_This guy… impossible…_

"Why – if you're this strong," Naruto grunted, "Why, with those eyes that can see everything – did you mentally attack Hinata, who was trying so hard?"

Neji narrowed his eyes.

_What the hell is he blathering about?_

"That's none of your business," Neji said coolly.

"Insulting Hinata and automatically deciding she's a loser!" Naruto went on, his voice louder, "Main family… branch family… I don't know what the hell happened…"

_Don't go there, Naruto, _Neji thought, clenching his fists, _don't you dare go there._

"But pieces of shit like you who call people losers… I WILL NEVER FORGIVE!" Naruto roared, and Neji had to hold himself back, trying to maintain his calm.

"Alright," he said finally, struggling to keep his voice calm, "If you're going to go _that _far, then I'll tell you…"

_Are you listening, Hiashi?_

Neji didn't know what prompted him to make that decision. He'd kept it all bottled inside him, only entrusting Tenten with the information. But now, he was boiling with anger, and the controlled façade he had maintained over the years burst, and Neji poured out his woes in front of the entire, eerily silent arena.

"I'll tell you," Neji hissed, his voice malicious, "The Hyuuga destiny of _hatred_."

_Let them all hear it. Let them all know how cursed the Hyuuga really are. Let them all know what the Main House does behind closed doors. Let the Hyuuga clan be ripped of all its pretences and shown as what it really is!_

He recounted his history, his voice hard as steel, dripping with acid. He didn't tear up or shake this time like he had when telling Tenten – that had been different. He spoke with a loud, carrying voice, looking up at Hiashi with eyes full of loathing as he spoke, his voice full of venom.

"You're destiny," Neji finished, turning his gaze back on Naruto, "Is to lose to me. There is no doubt."

"Well we won't know until it's over!" Naruto retorted angrily, "I don't know how much it hurt that your dad was killed a long time ago, but thinking that destiny is all decided because of that is a huge mistake!"

"You're hopeless," Neji said contemptuously, and Naruto rushed at him again.

Neji punched him, hard, and surveyed him as he lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, yet again.

"Examiner," Neji said slowly, turning his back to Naruto. "It's over... damn loser."

"D-don't – run – away," he heard a voice behind him.

_He's insane._

"I won't run," Naruto coughed, "I don't go back on my word."

Neji turned to him, a cold expression plastered across his face.

"I've heard that before," Neji mocked.

"There's no way I'll lose," Naruto repeated, "To a coward who's always whining about destiny."

Neji frowned, anger rising within him again.

"An ignorant brat like you shouldn't be lecturing," he said tightly, slowly losing his calm, "People are born with a destiny they cannot oppose… YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE BURDENED WITH A SYMBOL YOU COULD NEVER RID YOURSELF OF!"

Naruto looked at him strangely for a moment, before speaking, his voice a whisper.

"Yes… I can…" Naruto said, almost to himself.

Neji glowered at him.

"Pft! Stop acting cool. You're not the only one that's special!" Naruto ranted, "Hinata too! She's suffered as much as you have!"

_You have no idea what you're talking about! Special? _

"A member of the Main Family – but not acknowledged! Trying her best to change herself… thinking that as she was coughing blood fighting you! You're the same! The Branch Family is supposed to protect the Main Family, you said! But doing that to Hinata – in truth, you're trying your hardest to disobey destiny!"

Neji cursed under his breath, though he had to admit Naruto had a point. Attacking Hinata had been an act completely antithetical to what his destiny demanded of him.

"Your sixty-four points are closed," Neji said, changing the topic, "How will you fight me without chakra?"

Naruto retaliated by shouting again, and Neji's patience was dwindling rapidly. Naruto reminded him almost frustratingly of Lee.

"Can I ask you one thing?" Neji said finally after a few more minutes of verbal slashing, "Why do you fight so hard against your destiny?"

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, forming a seal, and Neji was shocked to see the ground steaming around him.

_What is happening?_

"Because I was called a loser!" Naruto bellowed, and suddenly, there was chakra, orange chakra, pouring out of his body, hissing and steaming.

Neji gaped at him, eyes wide.

_How is this possible? This chakra – how can he – access it!_

The chakra swirled around Naruto, frothing and bubbling viciously, and Neji stared, searching desperately with his Byakugan, trying to figure out what was happening.

_It's wrapping around him – what is that?_

Naruto leapt at him again, the orange chakra fizzing around him, and Neji noticed his speed had increased greatly.

He whipped out a kunai, hurling it at Naruto, but there was a clash as Naruto's own kunai met his.

"Hey, you're confident in close combat, right?" Naruto taunted, "I don't know about this Hyuga destiny of hatred or whatever – but if it's too much for you then you don't have to do anymore!"

Naruto rushed at him, and Neji prepared himself, sliding into his stance.

"WHEN I BECOME HOKAGE – I'LL CHANGE THE HYUUGA!"

"Kaiten!" Neji yelled in response, and his blue chakra melded with Naruto's flaring orange chakra, the two chakra whirring against each other for a few moments, as Neji continued to spin.

_This is insane… worse than Twin Rising Dragons… I can't keep up much longer… what is he?_

And then suddenly, there was a resounding, ground-shattering explosion and Neji was sent flying backwards, crashing to the ground.

There was silence. Neji groaned, feeling pain sear up his body – he'd never felt anything like it. A few bones were broken, he could tell, and his head was throbbing. He had to win though. He struggled up, staggering towards a hole, finding Naruto's curled up at the bottom.

And then suddenly, there was a poof of smoke, as the clone disappeared, and something burst out from the ground, and a fist crashed into Neji's chin, sending him flying upwards, and then hurtling down.

_How? This cannot be happening._

"Ugh," Neji groaned, as pain wracked his body, "To quickly use the kage bunshin in that situation… your main ninjutsu, huh? How careless of me…"

_This cannot be happening. He cannot defeat me! He was a born loser!_

"I failed my academy exam three times," Naruto admitted, his standing form coming into Neji's vision. "That's because unluckily for me, the final exam ninjutsu was always my weakest ninjutsu. Kage bunshin. That was my weakest ninjutsu."

_If it was his weakest – how could he have…_

"Destiny can't be changed, blah blah," Naruto went on, "Stop whining about stupid crap like that! Since you're not a loser like me."

His words buzzed in Neji's ears, their meaning washing over him – it was an epiphanic moment. The crowd was cheering loudly as Naruto was declared the winner, and a resounding applause filled the arena, but it was all lost to Neji. He only pondered Naruto's words again and again, his gaze shifting to a bird, gliding freely through the sky.

Hayate turned to him, at that moment.

"Even a captured bird, if it's clever enough, will try to open the cage with it's beak," he said, looking at Neji meaningfully. "Never giving up its desire to fly in the sky."

Neji continued to follow the bird's flight in the sky, as it winged over the arena. He felt himself being hoisted onto a stretcher, but he continued to watch the bird, as his vision blurred before him.

He didn't know how long it was, as he lay on the moving stretcher, which was then placed down. Thoughts inundated his head, thoughts about his fight with Naruto. His mind was in turmoil.

He was in the hospital room now, he realized. There was a hard knock on the door, and Neji turned his head slightly, expecting to meet the worried brown eyes of Tenten.

Instead, he was met with white eyes that mirrored his own, and sharp features set into a grim expression.

"What do _you _want?" Neji snapped, struggling into a sitting position.

Hiashi's hard expression softened, into something akin to sorrow – how was that even possible?

"I came," he said in a low, sorrowful tone, "To tell you the truth about that day."

Neji was silent, waiting for him to continue.

"That time," Hiashi said, his eyes flicking to the ground for a moment, "I fully intended to die."

"WHAT?" Neji raged, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THAT TIME MY FATHER WAS KILLED TO TAKE YOUR PLACE!"

Hiashi sighed heavily, before he began to recount his side of the tale.

– X –

Neji stared ahead, his heart pounding against his chest, head spinning from the news that Hiashi had just revealed from him.

Hiashi – his uncle – from the Main Family – who was _kneeling _on the floor, his head _bowed._

"Believe me," Hiashi begged, and Neji gasped, his eyes filling with tears.

"Please…raise your head," Neji muttered, feeling exceedingly awkward, and rather overwhelmed.

His father had _asked _to die. The Hyuuga _hadn't _forced him. His father had _volunteered _for it, _wanted _it.

Tears streamed down Neji's face as he digested this news, news that shattered the disillusions he had harbored for years, disillusions which had dictated his attitude and outlook on life.

His father had escaped his fate, in the only possible way he could. Just to prove the fact that _nothing _was fated. _Nothing _was pre-decided. One could _always _change their destiny. Hizashi Hyuuga, his father, had _chosen _death.

Mixed feelings inundated Neji's mind – there was relief, overwhelming relief – as the bitterness ebbed away – only to partly be replaced by guilt.

The Hyuuga… Hinata… they'd never really wronged him. And he had been so cruel, so _vengeful. _Especially to Hianta, who had always tried to show kindness towards him.

_Father…_ Neji thought, a rare, peaceful smile lifting his lips, _I have but one goal now. I want to become stronger, so as to not lose to anyone. _

His eyes turned to the open window, once again finding the brown birds as they dipped and danced across the blue sky.

_Father the birds are flying freely today… they look so happy… perhaps one day even I shall find such happiness…_

Neji's spirit lifted even more when a flustered looking Tenten burst into his room moments later, her expression troubled.

She paused at the door, however, looking at him a bit dubiously. His calm expression must have unnerved her – Tenten had fully prepared herself for a rather temperamental, angry or brooding Neji.

"Neji," she began, biting her lip, unsure of what to say.

Neji smiled at her – a genuine smile, and her eyes widened.

"It's alright, Tenten," he said softly, "It's alright."

She stood there, staring at him for a moment, before coming to sit on a wooden chair at his bedside. Neji leaned against the wall, meeting her questioning gaze.

"Hiashi just came here," he explained quickly, and Tenten gasped. "It was all just a misunderstanding," Neij continued, "My dad – he _wanted _to die. He gave himself up to thwart the Hyuuga concept of destiny. It's all alright now."

He was speaking to himself then, almost forgetting she was even in the room, until Tenten spoke up.

"I'm glad you – you realized that Neji," she said, "And I'm glad you sorted everything out with your clan."

"Not Hinata," Neji pointed out.

"Are you – going to apologize to her?" Tenten asked, but Neji shook his head.

"I'll – make it up to her in some way. What use is apologizing."

Tenten smiled at him, still looking slightly unsure of herself.

"That's great, Neji. That's really great. You fought well, by the way. I'm – um – I'm proud of you!"

She looked down as she said this, not meeting his eyes, though Neji found he appreciated her praise far more than Hiashi's when he had congratulated him after the second task.

"You helped a lot," Neji admitted, gazing at her, "And I shall always be grateful for it."

For some reason, Tenten continued to refuse to meet his eyes.

"It was nothing," she mumbled, laughing slightly. "I guess – I'll go now! And – watch the rest of the matches! Seeya, Neji!"

And then she scampered out of the room, leaving a slightly bemused Neji staring after her.

– X –

Tenten popped back in, nearly an hour later. Her face was flushed, and Neji straightened slightly, eager to here about the battles.

"I just saw the longest, but possibly most boring match ever," she informed him.

"Wasn't it supposed to be the Uchiha's match next?" Neji asked, feeling slightly impatient to know the outcome.

"Oh no," Tenten shook her head, "He's disappeared. No one knows where he is, and they're supposed to disqualify him and let that Gaara kid win by default. But they didn't want to because apparently everyone wanted to see him fight, so they've postponed his match."

"Favoritism for the Uchiha," Neji muttered, feeling slightly resentful.

Though he bore no grudge against the Hyuuga any longer, he didn't particularly favor the Uchiha.

"Yeah, well," Tenten laughed slightly, flicking back her bangs, "So they had the match between that puppet-guy from the Sand and Shino, but the puppet-guy forfeit-"

"Coward," Neji couldn't help but say.

"I agree. So then they had Shikamaru versus Temari," Tenten said excitedly, "And guess what? Temari _lost - _well kind of!_"_

"What?" Neji asked, genuinely surprised. Though Shikamaru had seemed talented, from the fight with Tenten, Temari had also seemed incredibly talented. Or maybe she had just been lucky that Tenten's forte was weapons.

"Yeah, it took ages, but Shikamaru finally devised some strategy with his shadows to trap Temari. And when he was finally about to win – he was using his Shadow Copy jutsu to make her forfeit – and then _he _chickened out and forfeited himself! So technically, she won – though he'd beaten her, that much was obvious!"

"You said Temari lost?"

"It was obvious, he had a huge advantage over her in the end. She didn't actually lose – but I wouldn't consider that a win either!" Tenten said, and it was obvious from her tone that she looked down upon Temari's victory.

Neji smirked slightly – she was obviously a bit bitter over her fight with Temari a month back.

"I don't know _why _he'd forfeit though, when he was about to win! That's idiotic!"

"Not really," Neji said thoughtfully, "They promote shinobi based on how well they display their talents, not if they win or lose. He must have realized this, and seeing that he'd displayed everything he had to, he forfeit. It made sense – if he'd used up his chakra, then why fight the next battle?"

"Well if you put it that way…" Tenten said, not sounding too convinced, "Anyways, Sasuke's match should be starting soon… if he comes back that is. I'll see you later!"

Neji never did see Tenten later. He was shocked however, when a few ANBU slipped into the room, escorting him to safety – an underground basement in the hospital. They didn't reveal much about what was going on, except for a mutter of "Sand betrayed us, we're under attack'.

Fear and panic rose up in Neji, along with frustration. Tenten was the first person he could think of – he hoped she was safe. And then Lee, who was in the hospital, though he'd probably been escorted to safety as well. And then Gai – he'd surely fight, and the Hyuuga. As much as he'd resented his clan previously, Neji didn't want any of them dying in the attack. He was frustrated that he couldn't fight – he was sure Tenten was helping out, as her duty as a kunoichi demanded, and Neji wished more than anything that he could be fighting alongside her.

He was also concerned. It was scary, because Neji had never been this concerned over _anyone _before – but he was concerned about Tenten's safety, and he didn't know exactly where she was, or precisely what she was doing and it infuriated him.

And _Sand – _Neji felt a wave of loathing towards the Sand. Temari was from the Sand. Temari, the redhead and the puppet-user – they'd all probably entered the exam for the sole purpose of betraying the Leaf and invading.

_No wonder they were so powerful, _Neji realized, _no normal genin, no matter how skilled, could have been that powerful. They were probably trained assassins or something._

Neji waited for what seemed like agonizing hours until an ANBU finally entered the dingy room, which was filled with injured occupants (Neji had been so immersed in his thoughts that he'd barely realized) and informed them the Leaf was safe. They had prevailed, and the Sand had retreated.

Cheers filled the room, and the ANBU said something about Naruto Uzumaki. Neji was shocked – from what he heard, Naruto was responsible for much of their victory. He soon learnt that the Hyuuga had fought as well, defending the village. There had been casualties, though no Hyuuga casualties, something which relieved him.

Neji was still inexplicably anxious over Tenten's state – he'd asked around, but no one seemed to know about where she was or what had happened to her. Frustrated, amidst the chaos, Neji finally managed to escape his hospital bed. It wasn't too difficult, and he'd recovered partially. He was in no fighting state, but he could easily leap around the village.

He found her, after fifteen minutes of searching with his Byakugan. She was relatively unharmed, except for a few scratches, and was stowing away her scrolls.

"Neji!" she shouted, sighting him, and she leapt up, "What are you doing here?"

"I – wanted to know the state of the village," Neji admitted, glancing over her. She seemed more or less fine physically, though she seemed rather upset.

"You're supposed to be in bed!" she scolded exasperatedly.

"I'm fine," he told her firmly, and Tenten seemed to sense it was pointless arguing.

"I have bad news," she said after a moment, and Neji noticed her eyes were watering.

"What? What happened?" he asked quickly, and Tenten bit her lip. When she spoke, her voice was choked up.

"The Hokage, Neji… he's dead. He – died defending the village…"

Neji stared at her, his mind blank for a few moments.

"…"

"He was – killed by – Orochimaru – the Sannin…" Tenten continued, bowing her head. "They're holding a – a funeral tomorrow morning. For him and all the other casualties."

"That's terrible," Neji finally said, "Is there – anyone else that we-"

"No," Tenten said, "I met Gai a couple minutes back. He is fine and so is Lee. Naruto and Sasuke are the worst injured from the genin. They're in the hospital, but they'll live, it's nothing serious. Apparently Naruto fought off Gaara, who was a jinchuuriki too!"

"A – what?" Neji asked, not quite believing his ears.

"A junchuuriki," Tenten repeated, "Shocking, I know…"

"That explains why he was so insanely powerful," Neji murmured, "And his odd chakra…"

"Anyways, Neji – I think you should get back. Hiashi was asking me about you…"

Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I don't know how he knows me, but he seemed to. He was worried. Hinata was in the hospital too, earlier."

"What? Why?" Neji asked, guilt welling up inside him.

"From – before," Tenten said vaguely, though they both knew it was because of him.

"I better head back to the compound then," Neji muttered with mixed feelings. Oddly enough, it was the first time he'd ever felt compelled to go back to the place.

"I'm going to go check up on Lee," Tenten nodded at him, "I'll see you tomorrow."

They parted ways, and Neji made his way to the compound, taking in the destruction around him. The arena seemed to be worst off, and a few buildings had shattered windows and dented walls. Most noticeable was the Hokage tower – a large jungle seemed to have sprouted on the roof. Overall, however, the village had retained its original appearance.

When Neji arrived at the Hyuuga compound, he was greeted by a relieved looking Hiashi.

"Are you well, Neji?" he asked, and Neji nodded numbly.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," he answered politely, his voice and manner devoid of it's usual underlying insolence. He hesitated for a moment, before asking the question he'd been meaning to.

"How is Hinata-sama?"

Hiashi frowned slightly, before replying calmly.

"She is still recuperating from her injuries."

"When will – she recover fully?" Neji asked dutifully, feeling rather uncomfortable.

"A day or two," Hiashi said, and Neji sighed inwardly, slightly relieved. At least this way he wouldn't have to go visit her in her room.

Neji bore no grudge against Hinata, and was genuinely repentant for his earlier mistreatment of his cousin. However, he wasn't exactly comfortable with speaking to her, though he made up his mind that he would mend his relations with her in the future.

– X –

After the Hokage's funeral, which had been a grievous event through out Konoha, the village soon bounced back into normalcy.

Lee was still in the hospital, and Gai watched over him most of the time. It was heartbreaking for the duo, and sad for Neji and Tenten as well, who made frequent visits, often lunching and dining with poor Lee in his lonely hospital room.

Lee had tried to break out multiple times – they'd caught him hobbling along on his crutches once, and after Tenten shouted her lungs out at him, they helped him back to the hospital. Neji knew it hurt Tenten seeing Lee like this; somewhere within him, it pained him as well. Lee had always been so determined, and Neji had to admit he had been talented. Now Neji believed that Lee could have defied his fates and turned into a respected shinobi. It was unfortunate that he had to have his dreams crushed before his eyes.

Since Lee and Gai weren't available for training, Neji and Tenten continued the habit they had picked up before the finals, and trained together three or four times each week. This time, however, they trained on Tenten's jutsus as well as Neji's, and devoted more time to taijutsu sparring. A couple of times they'd eat lunch together too, after that, if they didn't go visit Lee. They'd dine at Ichiraku's or the Sushi bar, or the seafood restaurant.

They stayed over at the hospital on a couple nights, taking turns, to relieve Gai. Though Neji found himself growing gradually closer to his clan, namely Hiashi, he still spent most of his time with his teammates, namely Tenten – or alone.

He mainly met Hiashi only in the mornings and nights, but took the opportunity to speak to his uncle, even if their conversations were brief and limited. Hiashi had even offered to train him, something which flattered Neji. He'd considered the offer, but then politely declined. He didn't know if he was up to it yet, (he wasn't _that _comfortable with his uncle at the point) though he'd probably take it up later. Moreover, he dedicated most of his training time with Tenten, and he wasn't about to leave her after everything she'd done to help him. And though it surprised him, Neji actually _enjoyed _spending time with her – it was preferable to spending time with anyone else. Though Neji actively tried to mend ties with his clan, he still remained a rather solitary person, preferring only Tenten's company, second to his own solitude.

He would invariably come across Hinata as well. Though Neji didn't speak to her much, for they didn't have too much to talk about, he would nod at her politely, and greet her, sometimes asking her how she was doing. Hinata would reply just as politely, stammering slightly, addressing him rather awkwardly. Their exchanges barely lasted more than a few formalities, but it was an improvement, and Neji knew that Hinata could tell. Usually, he'd send her a death glare and scorn her rather cruelly. Hanabi, on the other hand, he never bothered with. She was much younger than him, anyhow. Neji barely ever saw her, and didn't even know if she'd been enrolled in the academy.

Neji found himself training alone quite a lot. Though Tenten helped him improve a lot, there was a limited amount of help she could offer him with his Byakugan. And Neji's current goal was to improve the scope and range of his vision, as well as find some kind of a remedy for his one weakness, his blind spot. Tenten had emphasized this as well, after she'd nearly injured him for the second time during on of their sparring sessions. Luckily, she'd had razor wires attached to her weapons, and could pull the kunai back before it hit Neji, after slipping through his blind area.

"_You need to do something about it, Neji!" she had cried, "You rely so much on your Byakugan, this whole Blind Spot thing is really dangerous! If an enemy discovers it, you're done for!"_

"_No enemy will find out, Tenten," Neji had assured her, "You are the only person who knows about it."_

"_Still, it makes me uneasy," she had said, shaking her head. "Can't you fix it?"_

"_I can't," he had snapped, a bit too harshly, "But I'm trying, alright! Don't presume I don't already know about the dangers, Tenten, because I am well aware, and I am training alone for exactly that purpose!" _

That day he was alone at the clearing, concentrating on his surroundings, Byakugan activated. Neji searched through the trees, perfectly still, trying to count the number of birds hidden in the foliage.

_Seven birds, _he counted, _seven birds, 2 o clock, behind me…_

Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes, and Neji turned around, sighting a familiar figure from the back of his head.

"Tenten?" he asked, wondering why she had come. The previous day she'd told him that she wouldn't be able to make it for training.

He quickly counted the birds that flew out of the bushes, startled by the disturbance.

_One… two… three… four… five… six… seven… eight?_

Tenten jumped out, panting slightly. When she spoke, her tone was excited, though Neji was rather distracted.

_Damnit, I missed another bird! This blind spot…_

"Hey Neji! Tsunade-sama has returned!" Tenten cried animatedly, "The real one! Want to go check her out?"

Slightly annoyed that she'd disturbed him for something so trivial – he thought she'd come to train with him – Neji dismissed her immediately. He was still hyperventilating inwardly about his blind spot, and had no time to go see some old kunoichi, even if she was one of the Sannin.

"Sorry, not interested," he told her bluntly, before resuming his training, feeling rather frustrated with himself. It didn't seem to matter how hard he trained – he just couldn't do anything about his blind spot.

Tenten disappeared moments later, and Neji caught the slightly disappointed look on her face, but paid it no heed.

It was only forty minutes later, when he stopped the entire process, realizing he'd done as much as he could for the day, that he remembered, feeling slightly guilty.

_Tsunade-sama has always been Tenten's idol, _Neji recalled, _No wonder she was so excited…_

He met her that evening at the hospital, and after they'd left a bawling Lee (it had been Sakura he was depressing over, not his condition, and hence Neji and Tenten both had no solace to offer him) he asked her about Tsunade.

"Oh, she's absolutely _amazing_," Tenten gushed, her brown eyes sparkling, "I met her – she's going to check on Lee, you know! I bet she'll be able to heal him, she's a renowned medical ninja, the best Konoha's ever had! You know, they're talking of making her the Fifth Hokage…"

As Tenten had said, Tsunade was inducted as Hokage a few days later. Most of Konoha had been at her ceremony, though Neji noted that Gai and Lee were both absent. He and Tenten left early from their sparring (on Tenten's insistence) so they could stand in the front. They ended up standing with Hiashi and Hanabi, and a few other Hyuuga members. Hiashi _did _seem to know Tenten, as they even conversed politely for a few moments, and Neji was surprised to see that Hiashi seemed to approve of her as well. Though Hiashi wasn't particularly warm, (he never was, even with his own family) he didn't treat Tenten with the usual indifference he did others, and Neij wondered why. He wondered if Hiashi would harbor the same attitude if he saw Lee and Gai, engaging in their ridiculous antics of youth. Tenten, however, had been rather excited with the whole affair, staring up with starry eyes as Tsunade made her acceptance speech. Neji had to admit it was heartening as well, seeing one of the Legendary Sannin step up to take the position that had been left empty after Sarutobi-sama's demise. Though he'd had his initial doubts (they'd never had a female Hokage before, but he'd chosen not to voice this opinion to Tenten) Tsunade seemed impressive enough. If she managed to heal Lee though – now _that _would be creditable.

Unfortunately, Neji and Tenten soon learned from a tearful Gai, that Tsunade didn't have high hopes for Lee either. She'd said that the success rate for his surgery was only 50%. If she didn't operate, he'd never have a chance to be a shinobi again. If she did operate, but didn't succeed – Lee would die. Neji had felt a wild, lurching feeling in his heart when he'd heard this news. Tenten had covered her mouth with her hands, sinking on to a nearby chair.

The next couple of days had been grim – both Neji and Tenten weren't able to put their hearts out while sparring, when they knew that Lee's fate and condition rested on such a delicate thread. They finally learnt that Lee would be taking the surgery.

Apparently, Tsunade had toiled assiduously, poring over her books, finding away to increase the success rate of the surgery – be a mere four percent. However, this was enough for Lee, and he agreed to the surgery. Neji, Tenten and Gai had waited for sleepless hours, pacing outside his room, until Tsunade finally stepped out, with bags under her amber eyes.

She nodded at them, smiling slightly.

"Success."

Tenten had gasped loudly, choking back a sob, and even Neji heaved a sigh of relief. Gai, on the other hand, collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down his face, breaking down completely. Gai and Tenten had begged to see Lee, but Tsunade had been firm, denying them this request. He was still in critical condition, and he wouldn't be allowed any visitors until the operation was completely finished.

They met him the next evening – it had been a rather emotional moment for Team Gai. Gai and Lee both broke down, and Neji thought that even Tenten was trying to hold back her tears as she hugged Lee fiercely. Neji felt an odd, uncomfortable feeling rise up within him when he witnessed this – he felt inexplicably annoyed with both Tenten _and _Lee, though he didn't know why. Neji didn't make any moves towards hugging Lee himself. Lee hadn't tried hugging Neji either. They both knew that the equation between them wasn't exactly perfect.

"_I'm glad you are well," Neji had said sincerely, and Lee had smiled slightly at him in response, nodding._

Neji and Lee had never been that close. Neji was much closer to Tenten, and Lee to Gai, though Neji knew that Lee ever preferred Tenten over him. They both did. However, he wanted to amend their relationship, and intended to be nicer to Lee in the future, no matter how annoying he may find the boy. Neji supposed that only after being faced with the concept of losing Lee altogether, did he realize that he actually appreciated his teammate, even if just a little initially.

For one thing, he had realized that without Lee's presence on Team Gai, Gai would have probably dumped his insanity on himself and Tenten. At least with Lee's presence, and ebullience regarding the matter, the madness was restricted. The thought had led to a particularly insightful conversation with Tenten while they ate ramen one day. They'd both imagined having to live a life wearing spandex and acting youthful, and simultaneously gagged on their noodles, though Tenten had erupted into giggles a few seconds later.

When Lee was finally discharged from the hospital, Gai treated them all to dinner. It had been a rambunctious affair, with Lee and Gai making loud proclamations about the flames of youth, twice as boisterous as usual. But for once, Neji hadn't minded – he knew both of them had gone through _hell _over the past few weeks – and as he exchanged a smile with Tenten, who sat on his right, as usual, he knew that she didn't as well.

They started team practices after that – Lee wasn't allowed to do much though, except a few laps and taijutsu positions. It infuriated him to end having to just watch, though Tenten offered to teach him about weapons. After he nearly hit Neji's nose with a poorly aimed shuriken (which Tenten had to deflect with one of her own), earning himself a frigid glare from Neji and a long lecture from Tenten about how exactly to grip kunai, they had decided that maybe target practice wasn't such a good idea for Lee. He had power and speed, but no accuracy whatsoever, and it pained Tenten to see her precious weapons miss their targets.

Life seemed quite peaceful, and for once without any conflict, for Neji. Unfortunately, this didn't last very long. A few days later, as Neji was on his way to a morning spar with Tenten, he was waylaid by Shikamaru and Naruto. Shikamaru looked rather annoyed (which wasn't unusual for him) and Naruto looked extremely disturbed and tense.

"Neji!" Naruto screeched, "Neji! You gotta help us!"

"What is it?" Neji asked, crossing his arms. He'd grudgingly begun to respect Naruto, but he still found him rather irritating.

"Sasuke's gone!" Naruto almost yelled, before Shikamaru stopped him with a hand gesture, before speaking.

"Sasuke Uchiha has left the village," Shikamaru drawled, "And Tsunade-sama has put me in charge of gathering all the genin. We have a mission to retrieve him, and since I'm Chuunin, I'm your captain. Even Chouji and Kiba are coming. It's all so troublesome…"

Initially, Neji had been shocked, at two things. Firstly, that the Uchiha had left. Though Neji didn't care much about that brat and his doings, it was odd for a ninja to just randomly leave the village. Secondly, he hadn't known that Shikamaru had been promoted. He'd thought that the exams had been cancelled because of the invasion. For some reason, word of Shikamaru's promotion had never reached him. However, Neji knew the Nara probably wouldn't have a reason to lie.

"Why did he leave?" Neji asked.

"Orochimaru took him!" Naruto shouted before Shikamaru could speak, "We have to get him back! That bastard!"

Neji wasn't so sure if he wanted to go on the mission. He wasn't fond of the Uchiha, and he felt more comfortable with his teammates. He doubted Tenten would be with him on this mission – he'd be with a bunch of rookies a year below him, who he barely spoke to. Still, if the Hokage had ordered it, it was his duty to go. It would help him grow as a shinobi.

"When do we leave?" he asked finally, seeing that they expected a response.

"Like, right now!" Naruto yelled, "Come on!"

Neji followed him reluctantly. He would have liked to inform Tenten first, but he couldn't be late for a mission. And this was obviously some kind of an emergency. Tenten would find out, sooner or later.

When they reached the gate, Chouji and Kiba were there waiting for them, with Akamaru.

"Why are no Jounin or ANBU taking this mission?" Neji felt compelled to ask, but Shikamaru just shrugged.

"Don't ask me. I wish there were, than at least we wouldn't have to do this… this is gonna be _such _a drag," he groaned.

Neji sensed a familiar chakra, and whirled around.

"Lee!" he called, "What are you doing here?"

"I also happen to know what's going on," Lee replied, walking forwards steadily. He then sighed. "During times like this, I want to-"

"Lee," Neji interrupted, realizing where Lee was going. Lee looked at him determinedly, and Neji stared back, just as hard.

"There are other things you need to worry about," Neji said emphatically, shaking his head slightly. There was no way he was letting his teammate come on a mission when his physical situation wasn't yet entirely stable.

Lee's face fell, but he didn't contradict Neji, shrugging his shoulders, as Naruto, Chouji and Kiba argued over who was going to lead the mission, finally settling on Shikamaru. Though it irked Neji slightly, to have someone younger than him his superior and leader, Shikamaru _was _higher ranked, and hence he couldn't express his discontent. Neji decided he would just obey Shikamaru's orders. Though lazy, he seemed intelligent and reasonable enough, and relatively tolerable, especially when compared to Naruto.

Shikamaru explained the strategy, and Neji had to admit, he'd thought up a pretty ingenious plan, pretty quickly, using all of their individual strengths for the benefit of the group as a whole. Neji himself would be scouting at the rear due to his Byakugan.

They were about to leave, when they were stopped by a tearful Sakura, who came running to speak to Naruto.

She was crying, and Naruto promised her something, as Neji's thoughts wandered back to Tenten. Knowing her, she'd probably be annoyed that she was left out on a mission, but it was obvious that Shikamaru had orders only to take shinobi, not kunoichi. He'd told Sakura this as well.

Finally, they left, leaping out into the forest in formation, Neji scouting the rear with his Byakugan.

They made quite a distance without having to engage in combat, or sensing the enemy. Naruto nearly triggered a trap, but Shikamaru stopped him just in time with his shadow jutsu. It was then that Neji managed to sight the enemy, quietly informing the other four. He found a familiar form as well, bundles inside a barrel. It seemed to be Sasuke, but Neji wasn't too sure. Shikamaru quickly concocted a strategy, but before they could attack, there was a loud explosion.

Neji and Shikamaru were blasted away from the others, and they struggled up, quickly putting Shikamaru's plan into action, as Kiba released smoke bombs. Soon enough, the enemy were trapped by Shikamaru's shadow, the plan having worked almost flawlessly.

There were four of them – three males and one female, all from the Sound, the barrel containing Sasuke carefully tucked away somewhere.

Unfortunately, their plan toppled upside down, and the five Leaf genin found themselves trapped within a large clay wall. Kiba attempted to pierce the wall with his jutsu, but the moment he created a dent, the clay thickened, resealing it.

"Did you see that?" Kiba shouted, not believing his eyes.

"I did," Neji murmured, carefully scanning the wall with his Byakugan. His stomach plummeted when he realized what was happening. He felt an odd feeling, as if his chakra was being pulled out of him.

"This is no ordinary clay wall…" Neji said, "This is…this isn't looking good. Our chakra is being sucked dry!"

The shinobi sat there for a while, thinking and despairing. Kiba and Naruto both attempted more jutsu on the wall, but to no avail. It repaired itself almost instantly, sucking out more and more chakra with it.

Shikamaru then attempted to fool the leader through words, which Naruto and Kiba seemed to misunderstand, and began bickering. Chouji produced a packet of chips, and started gobbling them down ravenously.

_This is futile, _Neji thought, suddenly missing Tenten and Lee. It was obvious that the wall sucked up chakra, but a lot of Tenten's jutsus used only weapons, without any chakra. What they needed at that moment was some ridiculously large weapon… or Lee's continuous but powerful taijutsu, which didn't utilize chakra.

He was reminded of the time he and Lee had taken down a tree during their very first training test with Gai. Lee had pounded away at the tree with his kicks, and then Neji had aimed one precise, chakra-infused punch to the bark, cracking what had seemed like unbreakable wood.

_That's it, _Neji realized, _that's the key to getting out of this mess!_

"The walls around us are heavily shielded with enemy chakra," Neji said aloud, "Even if you damage them a little, they will repair themselves just as quickly. This means if we are to penetrate this wall, we must use a focused _physical _attack, concentrated at _one _point."

"The only one who has more destructed power than me is Chouji," Kiba replied, gesturing to the boy who was busy devouring chip after chip. "But what the hell is he up to?"

"Neji," Shikamaru called at that moment, "I'm sorry for the trouble but please examine the wall behind you and Chouji with your remaining chakra."

Neji nodded, as Naruto and Chouji began arguing again. He scanned the wall, and sure enough, there was an area that seemed relatively weak.

_Just like that time with Lee and the tree…_

"Hmph… I see," Neji nodded, "Over there…"

"Neji aim your kunai at that place," Shikamaru directed, "Chouji, are you ready?"

"Okay! Any time!" Chouji said with sudden enthusiasm, and he expanded to great proportions.

Neji focused his Byakugan, twirling the kunai around his finger once, as he'd seen his teammate do.

_I need to hit this perfectly for our plan to work, with enough force. If only Tenten were here…_

But Tenten wasn't there. And Neji remembered a tip she'd once dropped him, he'd remembered the countless times he'd seen her aiming at targets and hitting them perfectly, as if it were as natural as breathing for her.

_I'm her teammate. Of course I can do this._

Neji hurled the kunai, concentrating harder than he ever had.

Swish. Thump.

It hit the mark, dead-on.

Neji smirked – it was a throw Tenten would have been proud of.

And seconds later, Chouji was barreling towards the spot, and there was a loud crash as the cave collapsed around them.

They were free.

_These guys are good, _Neji realized. He didn't mind being on a team with them as much as he thought he would, though he preferred Tenten and Lee any day.

One of the Sound shinobi was there though, waiting to fight them. He was a large, obese man with tufts of red hair.

The Leaf shinobi argued amongst themselves what the next plan would be, as the Sound shinobi enlarged and rolled towards them, in an attack similar to Chouji's. Neji, Shikamaru, Naruto and Kiba leapt away, as Chouji rolled towards the Sound shinobi in retaliation.

They bickered some more. Shikamaru chose Neji as co-leader, and told him to run after Sasuke with Kiba and Chouji.

"He's mine!" Chouji roared, one of his rare disagreements with Shikamaru. After yet another conversation, they finally decided that Chouji would stay to fight the fat ninja.

Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba and Naruto would take off after Sasuke and the others.

Choujji gave them soldier pills, and Neji was thankful as he popped one into his mouth, feeling the chakra flow back into his system, replenished.

The four of them took off after that, and made it quite far without stumbling into any more traps.

"We're getting close," Kiba observed as they leapt through the trees.

"How odd," Neji said, "There hasn't been a single trap so far… Shikamaru, what do you think?"

"We're just being underestimated," Shikamaru said gravely. "They're thinking that big guy would be the only one following them. No one would set traps against their comrades."

"Damn them for underestimating us!" Naruto shouted fervently, and Neji was reminded of Lee.

"That must be an accurate analysis," Neji replied to Shikamaru, "Certainly we are being totally underestimated. But… this also gives us a chance.'

"Yeah," Shikamaru agreed, "Let's get them when they're vulnerable…"

Moments later, they devised a new plan, and Shikamaru, transformed to look like the fat ninja took off ahead, with the intention of fooling the other three and getting his hands on Sasuke.

This wasn't very successful, and Shikamaru was soon cornered by the shinobi with six arms, tied to a tree with strands of some unrecognizable material that he emitted from his mouth.

"Shikamaru's caught," Neji alerted the others as he sighted this from his Byakugan, "Switch to plan B. We have to save him."

Naruto showed himself first, with a number of shadow clones, and Kiba soon followed. They were both trapped by the sticky strands however, and they struggled to get free.

_Those have chakra running through them, _Neji realized as he moved closer, _Only I may have a chance of breaking them out!_

Neji attacked the six-armed shinobi from the back, as he was occupied with Kiba, but missed, as the large man twitched to the side all of a sudden, like a frightened spider.

_Damnit!_

Seconds later, the sticky thread was all around Neji, wrapping him up tightly, tangled around his limbs.

"Ugh!" Neji cried, struggling to break free, but it was futile.

_I'm stuck here, _Neji realized, panicking slightly, _this stickiness is made by mixing his chakra with his body fluids… disgusting… furthermore, it's still strong, the chakra flows inside this web forever even after having left his body… this jutsu surpasses reality…_

Neji followed the chakra flow with his Byakugan for a few minutes, struggling uselessly against the threads. Then, inspiration struck him.

_I can do this…_

He gathered chakra to his palms and feet, sending it out in rapid flashes. Soon, he found he could move his limbs.

It didn't take much longer, but after a jutsu that was a variation of his Jyuuken attack, Neji broke free of the threads, leaping out just in time to grab a falling Naruto, and land safely on a nearby tree branch.

"Naruto thanks for buying me time," Neji said.

"How did you come out?" the enemy shinobi asked, looking stunned.

Neji smirked.

"Things made from chakra," he said haughtily, "Will be destroyed merely by putting chakra into them. In front of my Jyuuken, it is meaningless."

_I've realised how to combat his jutsu. I'm the only one who can match up against him. It's futile for the others to stay here._

He turned to the other three – Shikamaru, Kiba and Naruto.

"Go," Neji said firmly, "I'll take care of him."

"It seems this guy's much stronger than the fatty we fought before… and quite so much so," Kiba said, hesitating.

"If we don't calculate it so one person is responsible for getting rid of their own enemy, it's going to be rough," Neji said, "That's what we decided, right?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru said slowly, "That's exactly right…"

"Also," Neji continued, turning to Naruto, "If you stop here you won't be able to catch up to Sasuke."

Neji didn't know why, but he was overcome by an urge to help Naruto. However annoying and loud the brat may be, he _had _helped Neji. He had got through to a barrier which Neji had erected years ago, and changed his outlook on life. Though Neji wouldn't admit it, in his heart, he felt indebted to the blonde shinobi. And this was a way in which he could honorably pay back that debt.

Naruto said nothing, staring at the ground, shaking slightly.

"Naruto," Neji said, "You have better eyes than me…"

Naruto stared at him in shock, and Neji smiled slightly.

"Sasuke is currently in the darkness," Neji went on, before turning his back to all three of them. "Hurry up and go. I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Okay," Naruto finally managed, his voice trembling.

"Alright guys," Shikamaru drawled, "Let's go…"

They left then, leaping into the woods, and Neji turned to face his opponent.

_You're finished._

The six-armed man attacked him with sticky thread first - incessant strings of it poured down on Neji, and he was reminded of the time Tenten had taken to attacking him with chains. This wasn't much different.

He battered them away with his hands, reflexes sharp, spinning around on his heel to gain momentum.

His enemy stopped after a while.

"Guess the strongest of them is you, huh?" he said conversationally.

Neji glowered at him in response.

"Jeez, I just can't seem to hold my playfulness anymore," the enemy went on, "I'll play with you for three minutes… and then I'll kill you!"

_I'd like to see you try._

The shinobi shot out more chakra webs and Neji found it rather inconvenient to rid himself of all of them. Neji found himself pinned against a tree with one of them.

"You are talented in the use of chakra," his enemy complimented, "And you have sharp eyes. From the openings in your hands you emit sharp, needle-like chakra, and cut through the webs with amazing precision…"

_Damnit, how does he know that? _Neji wondered, struggling against the webs.

"I've heard of this from Orochimaru-sama," the shinobi continued, "So this is the Jyuuken."

He sounded awed, and despite his predicament, Neji smirked slightly.

"However, once I disable your annoying hands, there won't be any risk of this web being cut," the enemy concluded.

_We'll see about that…_

The enemy boasted some more, but Neji ignored him, focusing his chakra. Suddenly, the enemy lunged at him, more threads whipping out of his mouth.

Then Neji released his chakra, landing triumphantly on the tree branch as the chakra threads snapped around him.

He quickly slid into his pose, arms stretched out, palms flat.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," Neji said smugly, as his enemy watched on in shock, "It's not just my hands. I can emit chakra from every chakra opening on my body…"

The enemy looked stunned.

"And by the way," Neji decided to inform him, "You're in range. EIGHT TRIGRAMS SIXTY FOUR PALMS!"

He struck at the enemy with ferocity, his palms jabbing with an alarming alacrity, finally hurling the enemy at a tree, sending him crashing through the wood, which soon splintered under his weight.

Neji watched him for a while, a wave of panic overcoming his initial triumph. His enemy was getting up. And he seemed completely unharmed.

Crack. Crack.

_What is that? _Neji narrowed his eyes, but there was no mistake.

Hard golden skin was peeling off of the shinobi's torso – he'd blocked the attack completely with it.

Neji was reminded of Lee's fight, when Gaara used a sand shield to render all of Lee's attacks useless. This was, in theory, something very similar.

_Damnit!_

"How monstrous," Neji murmured, "It seems like not only your mouth…"

His enemy leered at him.

"Yes. My golden-spider thread is a form of metal that instantly solidifies upon contact with air, blocking all chakra. Also, I can emit it not just from my mouth, but from every gland in my body…"

_That's like how I emit chakra!_

Neji and his foe then both came to the conclusion, that long-range combat would be utterly pointless.

They both stood, waiting for a few moments, thinking of another plan.

Then the enemy hurled a kunai into the ground, with a tag attached to it.

Seconds later, Neji was being pelted with shuriken from all sides.

It was almost _too _easy – Tenten's aim and speed had been much better – Neji smiled slightly, dragging his heel against the ground as he spun into his familiar Kaiten, deflecting the weapons.

When Neji emerged from his defense, he saw the enemy hiding behind the trees.

"I know where you're hiding," he called, "Show yourself."

Moments later, when the enemy emerged, he was hanging upside down, strange marks on covering his face

_That chakra, it's different! And those marks – it's like what happened to the Uchiha!_

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" the enemy called, and Neji was taken aback, and rather disgusted, as a gargantuan, hairy spider appeared, hanging off the web, it's hideous, bulging eyes glinting.

And then there were more spiders – numerous ones, smaller than the first, but still ridiculously oversized. Spiders and string rained down on Neji, and it was worse than Twin Rising Dragons, far worse. At least Tenten aimed weapons at him, not revolting arachnids.

Neji spun and spun, the damned threads hampering his speed, batting away spider after spider with his Kaiten. The thread sucked away his chakra too, spinning around him and covering him, propelled by the spinning movement of the Kaiten. Neji was soon forced to switch to another attack, hitting the monsters with his bare palms.

"Eight Trigram, Sixty-four palms!" Neji grunted, feeling disgusted each time his chakra-infused palm connected with a hairy body.

After what seemed like minutes of incessant fighting, the spiders stopped coming. Neji was then attacked by a wave of arrows, which he batted away with his hands, feeling the chakra gradually drain away from him.

_I can't keep this up much longer…_

His enemy was hiding in the trees, safely out of his range. Neji had always been a close-range fighter, and it was perhaps one of his disadvantages. Team Gai had always relied on Tenten for long-range attacks, so Neji and Lee had never really developed in that area, leaving it to the weapons expert of the team. Neji regretted this now, wishing more than ever he had Tenten by his side. She could have easily nailed the enemy with her weapons while he was being mauled by spiders and arrows.

Suddenly, Neji felt a stabbing pain, shooting through his back. Blood pooled through his shirt.

_Damnit! How didn't I see that! _Neji wondered, a flare of panic rising within him.

The blind spot. That arrow had gotten past his blind spot.

The blind spot Tenten had discovered weeks ago, and warned him to protect.

_Don't you think you're – too dependant on your Byakugan? I know it's very powerful, but even it has its weakness, and that could cost you in battle._

Tenten's words echoed in Neji's head – she'd been right, of course. He just hoped the enemy didn't discover his jealously guarded secret, and dismissed it as a coincidence.

Neji continued to deflect the weapons, ignoring the throbbing pain in his shoulder.

And then seconds later, two more arrows buried themselves into his back.

Neji hissed out in pain – he'd missed them completely.

He remembered another conversation he'd had with Tenten recently, her worried voice filling his mind.

_You need to do something about it, Neji! You rely so much on your Byakugan, this whole Blind Spot thing is really dangerous! If an enemy discovers it, you're done for!_

He had snapped at her then, telling her no enemy would ever discover his secrets. But now, as the agonizing pain ripped through his back, Neji realized she had been perfectly right. He could visualize her face right now, her brown eyes panicked, her tone furious.

_You idiot, Neji! You should have listened to me! What's happening to you?_

_You were right, Tenten, _Neji thought bitterly, his movements slowing because of the pain, fear welling up within him for one of the first times in his life.

He toppled to the ground a few minutes later, his face against the dirt.

His biggest weakness had been discovered.

Neji heaved himself up, as the enemy crowed from behind him.

"What are you struggling for? The game is already finished! You can never beat me!"

Neji's eyebrow twitched, and he was reminded of his match with Naruto.

Except this time, _he _was in Naruto's shoes.

_If that kid could do it, I definitely can._

More arrows came flying at him, and Neji barely had enough to chakra but to manage one more palm thrust. Unable to dodge them all, he shifted his body slightly, ensuring that they didn't hit any vital organs. They buried themselves into his flesh however, and the stinging pain was almost unbearable.

Neji leaned against a tree, gasping for breath, continual pain shooting up his body. He could detect an arrow, powered by chakra, coming right at him. He tried dodging the first time, but it was pointless. The arrow turned right around, crashing through tree trunks, aimed at him again.

_I'll have no choice but to take it, _Neji realised, emitting more chakra from his body.

The pain was excruciating, and he ground his teeth together, his nails digging crescent-shaped indents in his palm – but it was the only way.

When the lethal arrow finally pierced him, it went straight through his chest, not far from his heart, creating a gaping hole.

Neji gasped, shocked.

And then the pain set in, and it was terrible, worse than anything he had ever felt.

Neji wondered how he was still standing, and he bit his lip to stop himself from shouting out.

_Neji! Are you alright!_

_Neji! My rival, what have you done?_

Tenten and Lee's frantic voices echoed in his head – Neji thought he was imagining things. His mind certainly was.

And then he spotted another arrow, aimed at him from the bushes.

Neji turned and twisted, as much as he could, to try and shift his blind spot, so that he wouldn't be caught off guard. He was still in indescribable pain, but this was his only hope to survive – or at least pull on for a few more moments.

_Neji live on, _his father's voice echoed in his head, from years ago. _You've been gifted with the talent of the Hyuuga more than anyone else._

Neji continued to move, as the arrow sped at him – he could barely see it, it was obviously aimed at his blind spot. He was nearly exhausted of chakra, he was pierced by multiple arrows – he could barely do anything to defend himself. It was a hopeless situation.

_Naruto, what would you do in a situation like this? _Neji wondered. Naruto had always seemed gifted in turning hopeless situations to his advantage.

"I give up," Neji finally said, out loud, hoping the enemy would buy this trick. "There is no chance of me dodging it now anyways…

The enemy didn't believe him, and seconds later, the drill-tipped arrow pierced through his side, ripping apart the flesh.

He collapsed against the tree, grunting out in pain. The thread connecting the arrow had directed it, and Neji grasped this thread, in one last desperate effort.

"Gentle – fist!" he choked, emitting the last reserves of his chakra, directing them up the string, back to his enemy.

The string crackled menacingly, as Neji's chakra coursed through it, finally hitting the enemy dead on. He fell from the tree.

Neji coughed up blood, falling to his knees on the ground, dark strands of hair falling over his eyes, partially obscuring his vision. He'd lost his forehead protector a few minutes ago.

Memories flashed through his mind at the speed of light.

The fight with Naruto. Training with Tenten. His father. Missing the eighth bird in the forest. Fighting with Lee. Passing the second exam. Fighting Hinata. Naruto glaring at him, shaking his fist passionately. Tenten, smiling at him, telling him she was proud of him. Hiashi, bowing down on his knees. Gai, congratulating them heartily. Tenten, staring up at him in shock, brown eyes wide, as he thanked her for all her help.

_I cannot lose, _Neji realised, sudden inspiration bursting from within him as he struggled back up.

He remembered Tenten's cheerful face, and Lee, who was still recovering from the hospital.

They'd never get over it, if he didn't return. Tenten would never forgive him.

_I have a reason I cannot lose, _he thought, charging at his falling enemy with a sudden new strength.

Neji hit him, with his fingers, hitting all the chakra points in succession.

"How are you alive?" the enemy choked from the ground, "That should have killed you!"

"I know my weakness far better than you," Neji admitted, remembering the arguments he'd had with Tenten about it, the numerous times he had tried remedying it. "You're the strongest foe I've faced yet, but I have a reason I cannot lose. The strongest of all told me, 'because you're not a loser like me'. I was always known as a genius, so I cannot lose."

It was true. Neji had been called a genius innumerable times, even by his own teammate, namely Tenten. She had faith in him. They all had faith in his abilities – Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba… they all believed in him.

"You told me I would not be able to win against you," Neji went on, "But it's not possible to pre-determine things like that. After all…" Neji smiled reminiscently, before concluding, his voice barely a whisper, "If you try hard enough, you can always change your destiny."

And then, Neji fell on the ground, his hair and limbs sprawled out beneath him. His eyelids slowly fluttered shut, as a stray feather drifted through the air, landing on his palm.

A feather of a free bird.

– X –

When Neji regained consciousness, nearly a week later, he found himself in a bed. A bed with white sheets, in a sterile room, sun rays pouring through a nearby window.

_I'm – in a hospital, _Neji realized, staring down at his bandaged chest.

Memories of his fight flooded through him, memories of being injured gravely. His injuries didn't hurt any longer. His chest was bare and bandaged, and though a few spots tingled slightly, he didn't feel any of that horrendous pain.

Neji looked around, surveying his surroundings for a moment. He was in Konoha. That meant he'd been bought back, and healed.

Neji didn't know whether to feel relieved or not – he was thankful to be back, grateful to have made it out alive, and seemingly unharmed. He flexed his muscles, stretching slightly.

Yes, he didn't seem to have suffered any permanent damage. He was certainly very lucky.

_I wonder what happened to the rest of them – Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, Chouji – and Sasuke… _

Neji was about to climb off his bed, when a young woman in a nurse's uniform burst in. It was Shizune, Tsunade's apprentice.

"Neji, you're awake," she cried, relief flooding her features, "That's good. I'll inform the others. You're uncle was here earlier, and your teammates. They left last night though, but they've been visiting every day…"

"Every day?" Neji asked, "How long have I been out? And what happened to the rest? Shikamaru and the others? And Sasuke?"

"You've been out nearly a week. You were gravely injured, and Tsuande had to operate on you herself," Shizune told him grimly, "Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, Chouji and Lee are all perfectly alright."

"LEE!" Neji yelled, "How did Lee become a part of this?"

"He snuck out," Shizune replied, shaking her head disapprovingly, while Neji muttered to himself.

"What an idiot…"

"I agree with you on that," Shizune said, "Unfortunately, they weren't able to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha. It's sad, but he's lost to the Leaf now."

"Oh," was all Neji could say, staring at the sheets. They'd failed a mission.

"I better go now, and inform your family and friends that you're awake," Shizune said, before leaving the room, "Make sure you stay in bed! I don't want you following your teammate's example, and wandering around when you're not supposed to!"

Neji nodded, mentally chastising Lee for his idiocy. That boy would _never _mature.

He was surprised he'd been unconscious for so long. Hiashi must have been worried if he'd come every day to check. And Tenten – Tenten… Neji couldn't even begin to think of what Tenten's reaction must have been.

He didn't have to for long.

A few minutes later, the door to his room banged open, to reveal Tenten.

Her brown eyes were wide, her buns disheveled, and she was shaking slightly.

She froze, staring at him from across the room. He gazed back, wondering if he should say something, before she spoke.

"N-Neji?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Hey, Tenten," he replied, his voice slightly scratchy.

And then suddenly she gave a loud sob, and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Neji heart leapt wildly at this – it was a funny, ticklish feeling – and he didn't move away instinctively or push her off as he normally would have with anyone. She held him tightly for a moment, her arms tight around him. Neji felt her shaking against him, and then felt something wet against his neck.

_She's – crying, _he realized, shocked. _Tenten is crying – over me._

He felt his heart flutter again, and though he couldn't comprehend why, Neji thought he ought to comfort her in some way, let her know he was alright. But he had no clue what to do, so he settled for patting her awkwardly on the back, his hands resting lightly on her lower back for a second before she abruptly pulled away.

"S-sorry," Tenten mumbled, her face red, "I was just – so worried – you _idiot!"_

She coughed, wiping at her eyes furiously, sniffling.

Neji felt another funny feeling in his stomach – Tenten was _crying – _he'd never seen her actually cry, and though he felt slightly thrilled that she would have been so worried over him – Neji didn't like seeing her cry. He didn't like seeing her look so sad, so distraught. Though now, she was beginning to look relieved.

"Don't cry," he told her, his voice coming out gentler than he had intended it to.

He was overcome by an urge to raise his hand, and brush away the stray tear that trickled down her cheek, but Tenten beat him to it, rubbing her eyes with her fist.

She looked at him, biting her lips, brown eyes still moist.

"Are – you alright?" she asked finally, her voice cracking slightly.

"Yes," Neji said, almost wishing that she had her arms around him again. He dismissed this thought the moment it entered his mind though – he was being ridiculous. He didn't like physical contact! It was the medication that was probably making him think insane thoughts.

"I – I'm glad," Tenten muttered, staring down at her hands, "Sorry about earlier – I – was just worried – and you'd been unconscious for days – and the surgery – they said you may not make it…"

She was rambling, and Neji had to think for a moment before he understood what she'd been referring to. The impulsive hug.

"That's alright," he said immediately, hoping to make her feel less awkward, "Its fine, I understand. I didn't mind," he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Tenten looked at him, a little bashfully, which was odd.

"Oh, okay then," she said, before finally sighing loudly.

"So do you want to tell me what you did, Neji?" she asked, sounding more like her usual self, "I swear, you're becoming as bad as Lee. The both of you are going to drive me mad! You know, he sneaked out! And you! You left without even _telling _me!"

Neji watched, a tender smile forming on his face, as Tenten ranted angrily for a few moments, before quieting down.

"Finished?" Neji asked, smirking slightly. Tenten glared at him, but her glare soon softened, and she smiled.

"No. I probably never will be. I'm just really glad you're back, Neji."

Neji's heart gave another flutter at her words. Her tone was oddly gentle again, and he found himself liking it.

"Promise me you won't do that again?" Tenten asked beseechingly.

On impulse, Neji grabbed her hand, that had been resting on the bedsheet, squeezing it once with bandaged fingers, before quickly letting go, wondering at the same time what had propelled him to such an act.

"I promise," he murmured, wondering why Tenten's face had suddenly taken on a pink tinge.

He didn't know, but his usually pale face had turned a rosier color as well.

"Well then," Tenten said after a while, "Tell me what happened? The fight, and everything…"

And then Neji began to recount everything, in much detail, to the kunoichi seated on his bed. Sometime during his narration, their fingers brushed against one another, atop the white cloth.

Neither made a move to move them away. It wasn't necessary.

They just went on talking, like they had before, not realizing, that somewhere between them, something had changed.

– X –

**End of Part 2**

_A/N – there you go. Neji gets a nice big hug from precious his Tenten as a birthday gift_

_I hope you all liked this. Tried to stay in character, but start off the feelings as well. This chapter took me ages. Think it's my longest yet! _

_Special thanks to taiga-tan1000, Senka Hitomi, ninjapirate, VampireKunoichi14, Midnight Insomniac, XTheCherryOnTopX, ayumwu and SuzuGamerGirl for reviewing! I read and appreciated all your views. This chapter is for you all as well! X3_

_I'll try to have another chapter up when I can, though it may take a while. It'll be a filler chapter, covering the time between the manga and shippuuden – meaning their Chuunin exam, Neji making Jounin and stuff._

_In the meanwhile, please keep reviewing, that really motivates me!_

_Oh, and anyone who hasn't check out manga chapter 500. The First Hokage and his wife, from the back – they look EXACTLY like Neji and Tenten. He has long black hair, she has brown twin buns. OMG! Maybe it's Kishimoto giving us some hint, maybe I'm overreacting. But it's adorable! A canon couple that resembles nejiten! Hooray!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto._

_A/N – I'm sorry this update took so long! I've been insanely busy though... this chapter is dedicated to my darling reviewers, especially ... thank you all so much =) I appreciate all your comments!_

_This chapter basically links Naruto to Naruto Shipuuden. So it's not canon as such._

**Neji Gaiden – Part 3**

**-X-**

A few weeks later, Neji and Lee were out of the hospital. They were discharged on the same day, and both Tenten and Gai had been ecstatic. Gai had given them the usual bear hugs accompanied by leaking eyes, and immediately whisked them off for yet another team dinner – or rather lunch. Tenten, though not as dramatic, had seemed genuinely thrilled as well. Neji had noticed a sparkle in her brown eyes, and a bright smile on her face that was almost infectious – it certainly affected Lee who was beaming with all his shiny-toothed glory, declaring how he was more fit and youthful than ever. Neji himself was happy to get out of the hospital as well. Though he'd had visitors, there was a limit to the amount of time he could spend speaking to Hiashi and the other Hyuuga.

Hinata had come as well, and though Neji hadn't apologized to her directly, he'd made an effort to be kinder to her. They'd exchanged a few awkward words, and Neji had asked her about the exams, and her training; though Tenten had already filled him in on everything, it was the only thing he knew they could converse about, and Hinata had stuttered out and mumbled a few things in response. It had been awkward, exceedingly awkward, but Neji could tell Hinata knew that this was his wake of making things up to her. He'd even offered to help her train once (he now regretted this slightly – it would be stultifying – but there was no way he was going back on his word) and she'd seemed rather petrified for a moment, before murmuring a 'That would be most kind of you, Neji-nii-san', and scurrying off.

Tenten's visits, which had occurred on a daily basis were much more refreshing. She would come at around three, and stay on till seven or eight, alternating between Neji and Lee's wards, though Neji noticed she seemed to spend twice as much time with him than with Lee. For some reason this made him feel oddly satisfied. She'd been cheerful, filling him in on what was happening, in Konoha, and with her training. Some of her stories had even Neji suppressing a smile; the fact that he and Lee were hospitalized meant that Gai had taken her on in a youthful individual training course. Though Neji and Tenten had often commented about Gai's blatant favouritism towards Lee amongst themselves, Tenten declared that she preferred it that way. She was usually quite exhausted and worn out by the time she visited Neji in the afternoon (courtesy of whatever maniacal regime Gai was putting her through) and increasingly exasperated every visit. Neji found it amusing, as she ranted on and on about the ludicrousness of the training methods, some of which included ideas like attempting the Twin Rising Dragons with her hands tied together (this involved spitting weapons from her mouth, something utterly idiotic only Gai could come up with, and actually make one of his students practice; after Tenten nearly cut off her tongue, however, he'd decided to stop that particular endeavour).

But Tenten's torment, and even Neji's (the lack of training had really begun to grate his nerves, and there was a limit to how much one can meditate) had come to an end. Team Gai was back up (all of them) and annoying the hell out of each other.

-X-

Life in Konoha seemed almost back to normal for Neji; there was training, in which Gai, as usual, made an ass of himself, Lee was irritatingly eager and sycophantic, Tenten and he shared multitudinous looks of utter exasperation, looking to each other for comfort and normalcy. They ran around Konoha an insane number of times and practiced jutsus relentlessly (Neji pairing up with Tenten nine out of ten times; the other time was with Gai) until the forest floor was littered with Jyuuken craters, trees toppled over, and the stuffed dummies resembled porcupines and finally had to be replaced when they fell to the ground in shreds of brown cloth and cotton after a particularly lethal attack from an army of kunai.

If not training with his team, Neji usually joined them for lunch. Most of the times it was just him and Tenten, which he preferred, forgetting the strict Hyuuga customs regarding male-female interactions. She was his teammate, after all. He was entitled to eat lunch with her. They split the bill equally, after all, so it wasn't anything remotely date-like. Lee piled on occasionally, as did a few other genin like Sakura and Naruto.

Neji didn't mind either of them anymore – he owed a lot to Naruto, and though the blonde could get loud, boisterous and excessively annoying, Neji could put up with his company. After all, he wasn't quite as bad as the combined disaster that was Gai and Lee, a disaster which Neji was trained to deal with every single day.

Sakura barely joined them once or twice, but she was usually quite gloomy, only accepting when Tenten invited her, seeing her wander around alone. Neji tolerated her presence too – she'd lost a teammate after all. And though he didn't know Sasuke or Sakura too well, they'd seemed close from what he'd observed during the Chuunin exams. Tenten didn't know much either, except for that she'd seen Sakura regularly, moping about on a particular bench, her eyes teary.

"I feel bad for her," Tenten had told Neji sadly, "It was hell for me when you and Lee just left. It's worse for her, you know – because though you guys came back, horribly injured, but back nonetheless – her teammate never did..."

Even Naruto seemed less bright after Sasuke's defection, but nothing seemed to keep him down for too long. Though Neji had never been fond of the Uchiha, he still felt it was a shame to the village (though one up for the Hyuuga; at least _they _weren't homicidal traitors).

-X-

When not with his team, Neji kept to his word and trained with Hinata, twice a week for a couple of hours. She was miserable – quite miserable – especially when he mentally compared her with Tenten and her never-say-die attitude... but she was improving gradually, gaining confidence – and Neji was glad he could help her. He also trained with Hiashi twice a week, and these sessions were far more gruelling, sometimes even more exhausting than Gai's. To Neji's distress (though he should have expected it) Hiashi's mastery of both the Kaiten and the Jyuuken surpassed his own... he was catching up though.

They'd had multiple missions as well, and it gladdened Neji that he was usually made captain. Sometimes it was just him, Tenten and Lee, sometimes Naruto tagged along, and once it had been just him and Tenten – something which had pleased Neji though he couldn't quite tell why. The pleasure died down, however, when Naruto was yet again joined with them. Neji did like Naruto, and didn't mind his company – but on missions he could be a nuisance and a distraction, though in the end he somehow ended up doing something heroic, convincing Neji to work outside mission rules. Neji didn't know why, but the idiot always managed to persuade him (and Tenten; Lee usually took Naruto's side) and miraculously, it all turned out well.

There had been a few remotely memorable missions – one to the land of Stars, one which had involved a lot of spicy curry, and another where their client had forfeited his life to protect his village. Neji usually paired himself up with Tenten for these missions, though he'd put her with Lee once (since Lee and Naruto could be quite a fatal pair).

Though Tenten hadn't made any intentional physical contact with him after the hug (which was still firmly imprinted in Neji's mind), he did notice they'd become closer to one another. He even relaxed his personal space around her; on one of the missions they'd fallen asleep on a tree branch together. Tenten had been lying on her back, as Neji rested his head on his knees. Naruto had been building a bridge, or something like that, and they'd sat together on the trees, idly chatting as they watched him, falling asleep somewhere in the night.

Neji had been slightly embarrassed in the morning, when he woke up, a horrible crick in his neck, to see Tenten's slumbering form just inches away from where he had been sitting. For some reason, the idea that they'd fallen asleep together in such close proximity gave him that weird leaping feeling in his stomach. He had a feeling it was one of those things Hyuuga custom would not approve of – sleeping with your teammate on a tree branch – but Tenten had seemed normal when she awoke, greeting him a cheerful good morning, and so he hadn't said or done anything.

There had also been a time when they were at that curry restaurant. They'd shovelled down the disgusting substance, and Neji's throat nearly exploded from the sheer, overwhelming spice. Tenten, most thoughtfully, had held a glass of water to his lips, and for a few seconds, his hand had covered hers, as he gulped it down. It was utterly insignificant, but Neji had always had a sharp memory, far _too _sharp at times; and for some reason the feeling of her surprisingly smooth (except a few scratches from handling all those weapons and wires) fingers under his own had sent a tingles down his spine, and reminded him of the time they'd been at the hospital, after his fight with Kidomaru, and she'd hugged him. It infuriated him at times, the feeling. Things which had never mattered even the slightest seemed to incite it within him – like when she sat down next to him during team dinners, or smiled at him after training, or when their fingers accidentally brushed when he'd pass her one of her fallen weapons... it all sent little flutters to his chest, and it agitated him.

He didn't think over it too much – or at least, he preferred diverting his mind to things like training and meditation when he did. Neji was a shinobi, abiding by the shinobi rules in every aspect, and that had always been his priority. The funny flutters and pleasant feelings increased in frequency, but Neji didn't bother acknowledging them to himself. He was genin, after all. He had a long way to go, and Tenten was his closest friend and teammate; he never really consciously wished for anything more than that, and hence the physical feelings often bemused him.

-X-

A year passed that way, in seeming normalcy, and most of their time was dedicated to training. They had come a long way since then; Neji had almost fully compensated for his blind spot, and doubled the range of his Byakugan. He was currently expanding the use of his Gentle Fist techniques, trying to modify them so that he could attack from afar. He was working on an attack that sent out bursts of concentrated air at his opponent, who in this case, as usual, was Tenten. They'd continued the practice of perfecting one another's techniques, after it had proved immensely useful in the Chuunin Exams. Tenten had improved as well. Though her accuracy was already perfect, her speed and flexibility improved, as well as her versatility. She now handled a wider arsenal of weapons, and was developing a jutsu that could prove even deadlier than the Twin Rising Dragons when completed, one which consisted of the manipulation of over a thousand lethal weapons. Even Neji, with his now superior Kaiten, found it nearly impossible to evade for long. She'd also begun to experiment with explosives, much to Lee's chagrin. Lee, like his teammates, had progressed impressively, in terms of speed, strength, and insane new taijutsu techniques which were unrivalled amongst the rest of the genin, and even most Chuunin and a few Jounin. Tenten had improved her taijutsu exponentially; Temari's battle had caused her to realize the importance of short-range attacks, and with her drastic improvement, Team Gai were undoubtedly the greatest Taijutsu team Konoha had ever seen. Gai himself, was thrilled at this unofficial achievement.

He entered the trio into the Chuunin exams, which were set to take place in the Cloud village. Neji, and the other Hyuuga had initial misgivings about this, but Neji's desire to excel finally won over his prejudice against the Cloud because of his father, and Hiashi grudgingly allowed him to accompany his team. Neji was secretly glad that none of the other genin were attempting the exam with them. Hinata's sensei had wanted to wait for the next exam, as did Asuma for Ino and Chouji. Naruto had left Konoha altogether for training, and rumor had it that Sakura was training with the legendary Sannin Tsunade, something which had caused Tenten to rant jealously for days. She'd always idolized Tsunade, and having her as a teacher would probably have been a dream come true. Neji, personally was glad Tsuande had taken on Sakura; he needed Tenten as a teammate. He wouldn't be able to stand Gai and Lee without her.

"You could never be a medic anyway," Neji had told her once, when she'd seemed almost close to tears, "You're stronger at offense. What use would your weapons be in healing people?"

This seemed to mollify Tenten slightly, her scowl lessening.

"And you're necessary to stabilize the childishness and idiocy of our team," Neji added, "I don't think I have the patience to handle those two lunatics myself."

That had caused Tenten to crack a smile, which in turn led to more annoying fluttering for Neji. Though he hadn't said it directly, he knew that she knew that this was his way of implying that he wanted her with him on Team Gai. It seemed to cheer her up, and the envy promulgated towards Sakura ended there.

-X-

Gai's tutelage had been as beneficial as Tsunade's would have been, Neji thought. The three of them were brimming with confidence and anticipation, when the date of the Chuunin Exams drew near. They left Konoha a week early, arriving in Cloud with a few days to spare; mainly for resting and 'warming-up' in Gai's words. In reality, their 'warm-up' was quite a destructive practice, one which would have had lesser genin exhausted from physical exertion and chakra over-usage.

They weren't normal genin. They never had been. It had been a combination of bad luck, overly powerful Sand shinobi, and pessimistic attitudes which had led to their failure the first time. This time however, Neji, Tenten and Lee were more determined than ever.

-X-

The first task, predictably, consisted of a written test. Unlike Konoha, Cloud wasn't quite as creative, and it was a normal test with questions ranging from moderate to difficult. Copying was not permitted this time; it was based on actual knowledge. Neji managed it well enough; he'd always stood first in written tests, and completed it easily, nearly twenty minutes before the allocated time. Tenten seemed to have pulled through as well – he'd been watching her from the back of his head (she sat three seats behind him) and she'd placed down her pencil ten minutes after he had, looking satisfied. She'd winked at the back of his head then, as if she'd known he was watching. It gave him that funny fluttery feeling, but he'd dismissed it, looking over at Lee. Just as he'd expected, Lee was clutching his head in confusion, looking utterly aggravated, thick brows scrunched together; but Neji could see some untidy scrawling across his sheet, and he was fairly certain Lee had at least answered the questions about chakra gates and taijutsu katas properly.

At the end, when the results were announced, fourteen out of the the thirty-eight teams that had entered had passed. Team Gai stood second in ranking, after a team from Cloud itself – Neji suspected Lee's scores had contributed to this. His and Tenten's individual scores had been quite high, and they would have stood first if Lee's rather dismal ones hadn't pulled them down. He didn't tell Lee this, however, allowing the boy to gloat over their victory for a few moments, before bemoaning the fact that they were second.

-X-

The second task had been a mixture of a maze and an obstacle course, a few Cloud chuunin intervening as 'opponents' that had to be sufficiently overcome to progress. The teams with the highest points in the written component got a head start of a couple minutes, and were followed by Team Gai, and the rest, in order based on their previous performance. A few minutes into the test, however, Neji, Tenten and Lee had surpassed the Cloud team, gaining a comfortable lead with their superior speed and physical prowess.

They eased through the obstacles; Tenten obliterated the physical barriers with her weapons before they could be much of a hindrance. Neji recognized the multiple genjutsu almost immediately with his Byakugan, dispelling them, his dojutsu also coming to great use when it came to deciding where to go. They didn't land up at a dead end of the maze even once. They encountered a few opponents, but the trio worked together in a perfect combination of speed, offense and teamwork, leaving most of their Chuunin opponents skewered with weapons, their chakra nodes plugged, and a few bones broken if the situation was dire.

Compared to the Forest of Death, it was a cakewalk; especially with their superior skills. Not once did they encounter the other genin teams, and though the test was to last 48 hours, Team Gai finished it in half the time, outrunning a majority of their enemies.

The Cloud Examiners were impressed (and intrigued by Neji, who continued to glare at them suspiciously the entire time) and Maito Gai was shedding buckets of joyful tears.

"You are youthfully brilliant, my pupils," he confided, overjoyed, "But don't get complacent. There's likely to be one-on-one battles next, and though I am sure your youth will prevail, over-confidence can be disastrous."

"Don't worry Gai-sensei!" Lee declared, "We won't let you down! The flames of our passion burn brighter than ever! A promotion is on the way – I can feel it!"

-X-

They'd had an entire day to rest, which was beneficial. On the day of the exam, they were refreshed, and ready to battle.

Neji had woken up slightly earlier than Lee and Gai, and headed to the forest on the outskirts, which had served as a temporary 'warm-up' ground. Tenten wasn't there when he arrived, which disappointed him slightly. He hadn't asked her to come, but for some reason, her presence would have comforted him. It would have reminded him of the last Chuunin Exam, when she'd helped him practice, once before his match against Naruto.

Of course this time, it wasn't just him who was fighting.

Tenten did arrive, ten minutes later; Neji had seen her coming from the woods behind him. She grinned slightly, kunai spinning on her index finger.

Neji opened his eyes, and allowed himself a small smirk. Some habits never changed.

Tenten didn't ask for permission, understanding wordlessly, as she flung the kunai onto a tree trunk (a mere centimetre above Neji's head) and rummaged in her pockets, pulling out two small scrolls.

"For old time's sake?" she asked, tilting her head.

Neji raised an eyebrow, rising.

"And it'll be good luck," she added, but Neji shook his head.

"I don't believe in superstitions," he replied, sliding into his Kaiten stance nonetheless.

Tenten shrugged.

"Tradition, then," she conceded, and milliseconds later, she was in the air, pelting him with weapon after weapon.

She hadn't even warned him, or asked him if he was ready – though they didn't really need that any more. They were better, faster, their reflexes trained.

He spun into his Kaiten, the forest and gleaming weapons blurring before him as blue chakra filled his vision.

The onslaught lasted for just a minute – they could have gone on for five, but why waste chakra?

At the end of it, Tenten's cheeks were slightly flushed, and Neji had to take a few deep breaths, but other than that, it didn't appear as if they'd just used extremely high-level jutsu. It was a testament to how much they'd improved. Just over a year and a few months ago, both of them would have been on the verge of collapsing.

-X-

The tournament itself was almost laughable, at least when compared to their fights with Naruto, Gaara and Temari respectively. Only six teams had qualified – eighteen shinobi, which meant each of them would have to fight between three to five battles if they continued to qualify, depending on how many byes were given.

Lee's fight was first. His opponent was a Cloud shinobi, a boy who looked to be around thirteen, and primarily used lightning jutsu. Fortunately, Lee's speed (with the weights) was faster than the lightening, and he evaded most of the strikes with sheer agility. Furthermore, his spandex was an excellent insulator of electricity, and a mere four minutes into the fight, Lee had landed a deadly Dynamic Entry on the boy's head, knocking him out cleanly.

-X-

Tenten was next; ironically enough, she was against a Sand shinobi who used the wind element. The expression on her face had been almost comical when he attacked her, blowing out a funnel of concentrated wind from his mouth. She'd seem shocked at first, then excessively annoyed, before she narrowed her brown eyes in determination.

Neji didn't feel the sinking feeling he had when she'd fought Temari. Though she had a type disadvantage, yet again, he was sure she'd prevail. Lee in the meantime was attempting to bolster her confidence by screaming things like "Your youth will blow him away!" and "History never repeats itself!" at random intervals, until Tenten finally shot him a murderous glare, willing him to shut up.

Luckily, Temari's fight had taught her a lot. Tenten didn't draw out even a single weapon, relying on her speed and flexibility to dodge the wind blasts. She had to resort to taijutsu the entire match, and though she wasn't as good as Lee, or even Neji for that matter, she was certainly skilled. Her match lasted twice as long as Lee's though; Tenten had never fought without using a single weapon, and it was obviously hard on her. Neji had counted the number of times her hands involuntarily twitched towards her weapons holster, before she drew them away – weapons would be pointless here, and Tenten wasn't about to repeat her mistakes. After eight minutes of dodging, leaping through the air, and attacking, (Tenten was more or less unscathed during the entire battle, whereas her opponent had a few bruises and quite possibly a broken wrist), she ended things with a brilliantly executed Leaf Whirlwind, which caused both Gai and Lee to whoop with joy.

-X-

"That was annoying," Tenten muttered when she rejoined Lee and Neji in the stands, looking more irritated than tired.

"That was – an improvement," Neji said in response, referring to Temari. Tenten winced at the memory, but nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, it feels good," she admitted.

"It's the first time you fought without using weapons even once," he said, meaning it as a compliment.

"Really annoying," she repeated, "My hand would instinctively keep reaching for them!"

"I saw," Neji nodded, wondering if he should say more, before Lee interrupted, squeezing her rather tightly.

"INSPIRATIONAL, TENTEN!" he gushed, "THAT LEAF WHIRLWIND WAS MORE YOUTHFUL THAN MY OWN!"

"Stop exaggerating," Tenten snapped, looking slightly embarrassed as she entangled herself from him, "But thanks a lot. For the cheering too. Though if you try it again, I'll stick you with a kunai."

Her tone was light and teasing, and Lee laughed, and Neji felt his stomach clench uncomfortably.

Why had Lee hugged her? And should he have done it as well? No – that would have been awkward – but still, why did he wish he had?

He didn't dwell on his thoughts for long though, for the fourth match was his own.

-X-

His opponent was pitiable. A twelve-year old girl who looked more suited for civilian life than being a shinobi. Neji forced himself not to feel disgusted, uncomfortably being reminded about his fight against Hinata. He went gentle on her – something very uncharacteristic of him – her light grey eyes and trembling form gave him an unpleasant feeling of regret and déjà vu. There was no condescending monologue or disparaging speech to give up. He descended on her almost immediately, plugging up the chakra points in her arms and legs (and arms and legs _only), _leaving her unable of moving them, and paralyzed in a way. Her internal organs, however, were functioning normally, untouched by even a single jolt of chakra.

The poor girl forfeited (Neji bit his tongue, feeling another feeling of discomfort as he was reminded of Hinata; she'd been in a worse condition, and she'd ploughed on – his respect for the Main House rose) and after a total of two and a half minutes, Neji was back with Tenten and Lee in the stands.

"That was amazing!" Lee told him, "But I feel you were unsatisfied by the fight."

Neji didn't say anything, wondering at Lee's uncanny ability to read his thoughts. Usually only Tenten could do that.

"Don't worry though – I'll face you off in the finals, and that will be a true challenge," Lee said as a means of consolation.

"Hey!" Tenten cut in indignantly at this, "Don't just rule me out like that! How are you so sure it's going to be you and Neji in the finals!"

"I'm sorry," Lee backtracked immediately, "I was just trying to console him. You would be as worthy a rival for Neji, though I still feel I'd be more of a challenge since you train with him on a daily basis. You two know each other's technique as if it were your own, whereas Neji and I have never truly fought."

Tenten regarded him suspiciously for a moment, before turning to Neji.

"Good job," she said, before leaning slightly closer, lowering her voice, "It was nice of you to go easy on her."

She flashed him a sweet smile, patting his arm lightly, before turning away to watch the next match.

Neji felt like his head was spinning, and he had no idea why.

-X-

Lee got a bye in the next round, due to the odd number of teams. He was most upset over the fact, but brightened up when Tenten's match came up.

She was fighting a Grass nin this time, a stocky boy who looked to be their age. He seemed almost thrilled that he'd received a female opponent, obviously thinking that the match was his. He whistled when Tenten leapt gracefully in front of him, eyes roving shamelessly over her form.

"Hey sweetheart... I'll go light on you if you promise me a date afterwards?" he suggested in what he thought was a suave fashion, missing the murderous flicker in Tenten's brown eyes.

Neji clenched his fists, grinding his teeth, as an inexplicable urge to Jyuuken the boys guts out arose within him. How dare he look at Tenten so lecherously? And even contemplate asking her on a date – Tenten didn't_ date anyone_! And how dare he underestimate her! Knowing Tenten, however, she'd be greatly insulted, and take this as a slight on kunoichi in general. Neji couldn't wait to see her pummel him.

He was quite satisfied. Tenten had been initially stunned by the whistling, though she looked fairly disgusted when she realized what had occurred. She scowled at the boy, looking quite livid, and Neji feared she'd use up her Twin Rising Dragons quite early in the tournament. She didn't however, pelting him with a volley of explosive kunai, followed by a volley of poisoned senbon (causing paralysis) and a volley of shuriken. These were all fired in rapid succession, from different directions, and with an alarming speed.

The boy barely had enough time to recover from the burns and cuts from the first volley when he was overcome by the next. He retaliated with a few grass-based jutsus, but Tenten summoned some kind of a shield to deflect them all, aiming her weapons all the while.

A few minutes later, he was flopped on the ground, paralyzed, charred, and covered with several minor cuts and scratches, as Tenten wiped her hands, shaking her head and muttering something which Neji suspected included rather colourful expletives. He could make out the words 'chauvinistic asshole' by reading her lips, among many other insults.

Neji smirked, as the bewildered, slightly glassy-eyed and immensely beaten shinobi was hoisted onto a stretcher and born away. He was still gazing at Tenten, with newfound respect. Apparently her defeat of him had appealed to him in some twisted way, for Neji noticed a pink blush beneath his scorched cheeks. It didn't bother him that much this time, and his smirk widened as Tenten stormed into the stands. Lee wisely chose to remain quiet.

Neji allowed her to fume in silence for a few moments, before leaning over and whispering a "Well done, Tenten," into her ear.

She jumped slightly, blushing, and turned to him.

"Th-thanks," she muttered, before looking away, and Neji felt oddly smug as he sauntered down for his next match.

"Good luck!" Tenten called from above, as Lee cheered loudly beside her.

Neji nodded at them, before facing his opponent, a tall, dark-haired boy from Mist. The battled commenced with the boy casting genjutsu; Neji had to give him credit. The genjutsu was pretty strong, and Neji realized it once an entire minute of futile fighting had passed. By the time he had dispelled it, the boy had countered with some kind of a mist barrier. Neji cursed – it was his Byakugan's one weakness - that it couldn't penetrate through mist.

The boy managed to land a few hits on Neji using what looked like bullets and spikes compressed entirely of mist. Neji cursed, as he was forced to spin into his Kaiten to avoid them – he couldn't see a damn thing! He could hear Tenten and Lee's shouting over the roar of the crowd, but could only make out their voices, not their words. He was also beginning to feel rather lethargic, his movements oddly heavy. With a start, he realized that the mist was probably drugged.

_I have to end this fast, _he realized.

Though weapons had never been his specialty, training with Tenten gave him a good level of skill with them. He wouldn't be able to see his target, but he could probably feel them out with chakra.

In a move inspired by his female teammate, Neji let loose a bunch of kunai, spinning around in a circle as he did so, making sure that they covered every direction. Instead of the razor wire Tenten had a propensity of using, he attached his own chakra threads to the weapons. This way, when they made contact with his opponent, he would be able to detect it.

He soon did, feeling a tug on one of the chakra wires. Immediately, Neji raced blindly through the mist, pumping chakra through his system to dispel the drowsiness. He finally connected with a solid body, and immediately began attacking it with a flurry of fingers, plugging off chakra points. It seemed to work for a while, and the mist dispelled, but a few seconds later, Neji realized he was pounding at something too hard to be a human body.

_Damnit!_

He had to give his opponent credit. Even after suffering a few jabs with the gentle fist, the boy had managed a substitution jutsu. Fortunately, the distraction meant that the boy had to let go of the mist jutsu, and the arena soon cleared up. Once his opponent was in clear view, Neji charged at him again, avoiding the mist missiles aimed at him, executing a brief Kaiten mid-air for a few seconds to deflect a rather impressive looking jutsu which resembled a large dragon composed of compressed mist, before striking his opponent on the chest with a chakra-infused palm.

"Eight Trigram, Sixty-Four Palm!" Neji shouted, moving into his signature attack just to be safe.

A few moments passed, and then his opponent lay limp on the floor. Neji heard Tenten and Lee yelling over the crowd, and nodded at his opponent.

"You fought well," he said, and the boy smiled weakly before passing out.

Neji didn't feel guilty this time – he hadn't harmed him seriously. He'd recover soon.

-X-

All three of them had passed the first two rounds – there were only five opponents left, which meant a high possibility of him, Tenten and Lee being paired together.

"That was awesome!" Tenten complimented, beaming at him in a way that made his stomach leap, "All three of us are through!"

"As expected of my rival," Lee said proudly, though Neji didn't know whether he should take that as a compliment or insult.

"There's a high likelihood that we'll be facing each other next," Neji said, but Lee shook his head, pointing to the large board which had already began to display the draws for the next few matches.

"Luckily we won't. You have a bye though," he said, stating the obvious.

Neji felt slightly grateful – it was likely he'd be up against Tenten or Lee next, and the last match had been slightly tiring, though not too much. It would help to get rest at this stage of the tournament, and unlike Lee, he was quite satisfied with the idea of getting a bye.

"Ugh! This is my third match," Tenten grumped, "You two are lucky! You'll only have done two each!"

"How is that lucky?" Lee demanded, "I am jealous of you, Tenten, for getting the chance at a third match so soon! I had to sit out, and it was so unyouthful!"

"Yes, but I'll be more tired than both of you since I'll have fought an extra match," Tenten argued.

"She's right," Neji cut in, "But it doesn't matter. You know they judge based on skill, not on how many matches you win. I'd say you demonstrate all your skills in this next match, Tenten, and you'll be through whatever the result."

"I guess..." Tenten murmured, tapping on a scroll at her side. "I suppose it's time for me to finally use this, though I'd prefer saving it for you or Lee..."

"It won't make a difference, Lee and I have seen it already," Neji pointed out, "So you may as well use it twice if you have to."

"Hm..." Tenten said thoughtfully, biting her lip in contemplation, "Though I could always try using my new technique..."

"It's not fully developed yet," Neji interrupted, "Don't try stunts like that. You could injure yourself."

"I'd actually be more worried about injuring _you_," Tenten shot back, "It's not easy to dodge a thousand weapons at the same time you know-"

"Presuming we both make it to the finals, and beat Lee along the way, I think my Kaiten could stand up to anything you throw at me," Neji replied, his tone slightly teasing.

"Even your Kaiten couldn't stand up against it for too long, remember?" Tenten pressed, not quite catching his tone.

"We'll see," Neji replied amusedly, "Your match is starting. If I were you I'd still give Twin Rising Dragons a shot first. You don't want to harm your opponent that badly, do you?"

Tenten rolled her eyes.

"No, not if he isn't Hyuuga," she said sarcastically, leaping over the balcony onto the field below.

-X-

Tenten's opponent was quite a tough one, a boy who used rock-based jutsus. He managed to form huge rocky walls as barriers, and most of Tenten's weapons skittered off harmlessly. The match went on for a while, and they seemed pretty evenly matched, though Neji was fairly confident Tenten would pull it off. Even if she didn't, she'd at least have the sense to use her signature jutsu right now, to impress the examiners.

He felt rather satisfied, when following his advice, Tenten pulled out her twin scrolls and executed a perfect version of the jutsu that Neji had seen her do almost on a weekly basis. She was a combination of deadly grace and elegant precision, as she twirled and spun through the air, firing weapon after weapon, initially using explosives to break the rock barrier, and then unleash her arsenal. The crowd went wild with applause (Neji steadfastly ignored the few wolf-whistles that could be heard over the din) and when Tenten finished her jutsu, she was victorious, and beaming.

Neji felt pride welling within him as he saw her smiling face – he knew she'd been disappointed when the jutsu had failed her against Temari, and it made him glad to see all the hard work and skill pay off this time. Tenten was on to the next round, along with him. Only Lee was left.

-X-

Lee's opponent was exponentially more skilled as well, and it required the loss of weights and a Front Lotus to finish him off. That wasn't much though – Lee hadn't opened a single gate yet. Neji knew the extent of his capabilities was far more than what he'd shown so far.

"We're all through!" Lee cheered, pushing back his sweaty black bangs as he rejoined Neji and Tenten on the stands. Other than a few scrapes and the fact that he was breathing a bit heavily, he was fine. Neji, himself, was unscathed, and rather proud of the fact. Tenten was the worse off of the three, though she'd only receive a few scratches and cuts, and pulled a muscle during the last battle. Still, it was barely anything for having fought and won three consecutive battles.

"You realize it's only the three of us left?" Tenten gasped, pointing at the board.

She was correct – every other shinobi had been eliminated in the previous rounds, and there were only the three of them left. Which meant –

"Neji!" Lee cried, round eyes wide, "Tenten gets a bye this round! That means you're fighting me!"

Neji knew he should have expected this, but he felt a growing lump in his throat all the same, as the board flashed with the competitors for the next and second-last round.

Neji Hyuuga vs Rock Lee

The words flickered almost mockingly across the board in fluorescent yellow letters.

It was odd. Ever since they'd been put together in a team, Lee had always itched to fight Neji, itched to prove himself. Neji too, had always longed for the opportunity to assert his authority, and put his self-proclaimed rival in place. Though their rivalry hadn't been as pronounced as Sasuke and Naruto's, undercurrents of it had permeated most of their interactions.

Neji would always run more laps, despite the fact that he knew he could never keep up with Lee. Though Lee was modest, Neji would always note a slight smile when the boy collapsed on the ground, finishing many more laps than Neji. When Lee accomplished the Lotus, and Neji was left panting on the ground, the other boy had been euphoric. Neji had subtly scorned Lee's taijutsu, considering his style superior. He always preferred using ninjutsu, especially when Tenten was around, just because Lee couldn't.

Lee shouted about how he'd be the greatest taijutsu master, and Neji silently (or sometimes vocally) disparaged him for his idiocy. Lee called them rivals, and Neji never denied it.

It had been like that for over two years. And Neji remembered the time when Gai had to pull them apart, making them promise not to fight one another.

And now they were being forced to fight, and there would be no Gai to stop them.

Funnily enough, Neji didn't feel excited, or satisfied. The lump continued to grow in his throat, and he realized, that over the years, things had changed. He didn't _want _to fight Lee anymore. They were different, that much was obvious. There was no need to prove his superiority to anyone, not even Tenten – why would she even care, and why would her opinion even affect him so much? She'd always preferred Neji as a sparring partner and friend.

And Lee had been annoying, but he'd been a loyal teammate. He'd gone through enough with Gaara, and Neji realized that however aggravating the spandex-clad shinobi would always be, Neji also regarded him as a friend. Perhaps not as close as Tenten, but a good friend nonetheless.

Fighting now, at this stage, would only ruin that friendship. Even if they vowed not to have hard feelings, it would instigate rivalry all over again, and inadvertently cause tensions, since both Lee and Neji were competitive in their own ways.

Their 'rivalry' had become an almost unspoken entity, one which had faded away over the years, despite Lee casual declarations that Neji was his 'eternal rival'. There was no need to bring it up again – not yet.

Maybe one day, when they were closer, older, more mature – perhaps as Jounin – maybe then they'd have their battle, in private, just for fun; but right now, when there was a whole audience of people watching – it was pointless...

"Neji," Lee called, shaking his shoulder slightly, "We have to go down..."

Neji snapped out of his thoughts, his white eyes meeting Lee's dark ones.

To his surprise, Lee wasn't looking quite as excited as he'd expected. In fact, he looked rather uneasy.

"We have to go down," Lee said politely, nodding towards the field, and Neji clenched his fists tightly, thoughts whirring through his mind.

He jumped down after Lee, ignoring Tenten's anxious cry of "Good luck guys!"

She'd sounded worried – he didn't blame her. She probably thought they were going to kill each other. He was pretty sure she'd been on the verge of saying more. Something along the lines of teamwork, and rivalries, but she'd bit her tongue, clasping her hands together.

Neji saw Gai sensei, peering over the stands at them, concern emanating from his countenance. Like Tenten, he seemed to be holding himself back as well.

Neji faced Lee, across the field, his face blank, hiding the turmoil in his mind. Lee looked extremely determined, his mouth set in a grim line.

_Should I say something? Should I just – _

"You may begin," the examiner signalled, and there was dead silence in the arena.

Neither boy moved for a while. Neji clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to make up his mind, wondering if he should gather chakra to his fingertips, wondering whether he should speak.

Then suddenly, Lee raised his hand, and spoke, his voice loud in the quiet arena.

"I would like to forfeit, please," Lee said clearly, his body rigid.

Neji was shocked. Shocked and at the same time relieved – it was like a gust of air had blown through his lungs, easing the tightness in his chest.

"Excuse me?" the examiner asked, obviously not believing his ears.

"I would like to forfeit this match," Lee repeated, and Neji could tell it was killing him.

If there was one thing about Lee, it was the fact that he _never _gave up.

But one could say the same about Neji as well.

Neji finally found his voice.

"What? Are you – senile?" he blurted out, glaring at Lee, "I don't need you handing me over anything! You can't do this."

"I'm not," Lee said, his voice unusually steely, black eyes glinting, "I'm just forfeiting. I cannot bring myself to fight you."

Neji raised an eyebrow and Lee laughed dryly at this.

"Funny, right? Since I always considered you my rival, Neji. But that was just a name. You're actually my teammate. And if Gai-sensei taught me one thing, it was that you never, _ever _turn against a teammate."

"You can't do this," Neji replied, his voice equally steely, "Because _I _am forfeiting this match. I will not fight you, for the same reasons."

The examiner looked confused, and suddenly, Lee broke out into a refulgent grin, shooting Neji a thumbs up.

"That's the spirit! You really are a worthy riva – _teammate_!" he corrected himself, and Neji smirked in response.

The crowd broke into whispers, but Neji ignored this – though he thought he heard someone sobbing, most likely Gai.

"We will both forfeit this match, examiner," Lee announced, and Neji nodded. "We are of the same village, the same team, and we will not fight one another."

"Don't be ridiculous," the examiner growled, "This is an exam! You can't get sentimental. If you don't fight, you won't be promoted!"

"I don't believe that's the exam protocol," Neji said smoothly, "As you promote based on skill level during battles, not actual victories. I can assure you that both my teammate and I have demonstrated our capabilities well enough for you to make a judgement on whether you want to pass us or not. Making us fight now would just be futile; unless you would want us to fight a demonstration battle, just for show."

"Let's do that!" Lee said excitedly, eyes bugging out, "That will be so much fun!"

"No," the examiner cut in snarkily, looking rather annoyed, "Don't waste our time. Fine then. If that's your decision, both of you are out. You can sit in the stands and wait for the final verdict."

Neji and Lee both nodded, smiling smugly at this, and the examiner spoke into his microphone.

"Both contestants, Neji Hyuuga and Rock Lee have forfeited their match. Hence, by default, the winner of this tournament will be Tenten from the Le-"

"WAIT!" Tenten shouted, interrupting as she jumped down from the stands.

Lee and Neji exchanged a knowing look – it had been a matter of seconds before she decided to do that. It was so like Tenten.

"What are you doing?" the examiner hissed, "You don't come down until I announce your name and village!"

"I forfeit too!" Tenten said breathlessly, "I'm not going have some victory handed over to me because my teammates decide to act like martyrs! That's just cheap. I don't want to win like that. Neji, Lee, you guys can't just leave me out of it! It can be a three-way tie!"

Tenten smiled, a little shyly, at both her teammates. Neji smiled back, just barely, and Lee grinned even wider.

"That's perfect!" Lee gushed, "All three of us have won the tournament! The true meaning of team work! Gai sensei must be proud!"

"I am!" a loud voice sobbed over the now murmuring crowd.

"This is ridiculous!" the examiner said, looking utterly exasperated, "But he's right. It's within protocol..."

He spoke into the microphone again, his voice booming over the crowd.

"Since the kunoichi if the Leaf has forfeit as well, I declare the result of this tournament as a three-way tie! The winners are all shinobi of Konoha – Neji Hyuuga, Rock Lee and Tenten!"

There was roaring applause at this, and Neji thought it was one of his proudest moments – no, it _was _his proudest moment, as he stood along with his teammates, his shoulder brushing Tenten's, victorious after the tournament, and most likely a Chuunin.

-X-

Gai was ecstatic for days, and overwhelmingly thrilled with the trio. He bestowed them with hugs, many hugs, which Neji and Tenten both resented but put up with, and sang their praises for days, especially to Kakashi. He treated them to dinner, thrice in a row, (once for each of them, was his explanation) even though the official promotion hadn't yet arrived.

It came only a week after they'd arrived back in Konoha. They'd been training in the evening, when a smiling Sakura interrupted their session to inform them they were wanted in Tsunade's office immediately.

Her expression made it obvious what it was, and despite the fact that they all had known it was coming, Neji couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation as they leapt over the rooftops together at full speed.

Tsunade was smiling as well, when they entered the office, and Gai was snivelling in the corner, tears leaking from his eyes.

"I heard about your exemplary performance, of course," Tsunade said indulgently, "And it's only fitting you three receive these," she tossed them three flak jackets, which they caught, Lee giving a cry of delight (he could now fully emulate Gai's entire outfit).

"Congratulations!" Tsunade nodded, "All three of you are now Chuunin!"

"YES! WE DID IT GAI-SENSEI!" Lee shouted out joyously, bouncing up and down, before he pulled both Neji and Tenten towards him, crushing them in something that was supposed to be a group hug.

Neji pushed him away immediately, rather roughly, stunned at this rather bold move; Lee was obviously not in his right mind, if he'd tried hugging _him. _Tenten pushed him away as well, congratulating him before smiling as she turned to Neji.

"Thanks for everything," she said sincerely, "And I'm really glad we both passed it together…"

She made a move forward, as if to hug him, but then seemed to hold herself back. Neji didn't know what to do – or say. He debated internally for a moment, before stepping forward and quickly throwing his arms around her.

It was a momentary hug, and he pulled her slightly towards him, feeling pleasant warmth in his chest as her legs brushed against his, her hair tickling his chin. He released her almost immediately after, stepping away to await her reaction.

Tenten hastily rearranged her shocked features into a rather unconvincing, shy smile – Neji noted her face was tinged red; it was rather becoming on her. She was fidgeting with her fingers, though her brown eyes, slightly widened, were still fixated on him, a mixture of confusion and happiness swirling in their depths.

"I'm glad to too," Neji finally said, not breaking eye contact, and they gazed at each other for a moment, until that moment was effectively shattered when the tsunami that was Maito Gai descended upon them in full force.

-X-

After the Chuunin promotion, time seemed to fly by. They had many more missions, and were often required to attend briefings by the Hokage, regarding things like security and relations with other nations. Their missions were tougher, though they continued to take them as a team, since all three of them had passed. That was one of the benefits of passing the exam with all your teammates.

Hinata passed a year later. She took the exams with Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Ino and Chouji. All of them passed the exam that year in Suna, where it had been held. Hanabi had entered and passed the academy, and was on a genin team. Hiashi had begun to overlook her training, and hence had less time for Neji.

Neji didn't particularly mind this. He'd almost surpassed Hiashi, and he preferred training with Tenten and his team anyways. It was dull fighting an opponent with a style that matched yours. Though he knew Tenten's style by heart, she could be unpredictable at times. The same could be said for Lee.

Neji and Lee finally had their fight, a few months after the Chuunin exam. Tenten hadn't come for practice that they, and Gai had agreed to let them if they restricted it to a friendly spar. Neji was also not allowed to use his Jyuuken. Lee was forbidden from opening any gates or using the Lotus in any form. Still, it was an enthralling fight, one of the best Neji had experienced since Naruto. They ended it when they were both on the verge of collapsing; it had gone on for nearly an hour, and they were quite evenly matched.

They preferred it that way – not knowing the ultimate outcome. Somehow, it kept things more amicable.

-X-

There was a festival in Konoha, to commemorate the anniversary of its founding. Neji attended with his team rather than the rest of the Hyuuga. Tenten had asked him to the previous day after training, her brown eyes wide and beseeching. Though Neji wasn't too fond of festivities, he found he couldn't say no to her.

The smile on her face when he nodded in affirmation had been worth it.

The leaping feeling in his stomach when she opened her door (he'd come to pick her up) had been ever better.

Neji's mouth went dry, and a warm, tickling sensation spread through him. It required much self-control _not _to activate the Byakugan, and even more when he finally managed to tear his eyes away from her. She'd been looking at him almost curiously, eyebrows raised delicately.

'_When did she become so beautiful?' _was the only thought the echoed relentlessly and repetitively in Neji's mind.

Tenten usually wore modest clothes, her hair always wound in the omnipresent twin buns. He'd never considered her appearance, though when he thought of it, he supposed she had decent features, and was attractive enough. But it was more natural, something he'd never really pondered upon.

But that day – that day she'd been wearing a blood-red silk kimono, the kind that hugged curves Neji never knew she had. Her hair had been loose – delightfully loose and unbound, cascading in silken waves over her shoulders, framing a smiling face with sparkling eyes. She may have put make-up as well, though he couldn't tell for it was too subtle. But her lips were unusually glossy – and there was a hint of shadowy colour above her eyelashes.

Neji's heart skipped a beat; he barely recognized her. The hair made a world of a difference.

She was stunning. Stunningly beautiful.

It did funny things to his heart, and they were just fifteen.

"Hello, Neji," she greeted him warmly, and his heart flipped again.

Neji cursed mentally, clenching his fist. He felt warm all over.

_Why is she suddenly having this effect on me? Just because she looks different shouldn't mean anything, she's just Tenten!_

"Hey," he murmured, not noticing the rather husky overtones in his voice, the way his eyes had softened, the slight smile that graced his usually emotionless face.

She smiled back, raising a hand to push a few stray bangs behind her ear. Impulsively, he took her hand in his own, wrapping his fingers around hers, savouring the contact.

She blushed prettily, and for a second, he thought of brushing his lips against her hand.

_Don't be idiotic. You're a ninja. You must not engage in such frivolities! _he chided himself mentally, and shook himself of this momentary insanity.

Tenten was observing him curiously, still blushing, her head tilted slightly to the side. He found it endearing.

"You look different," he finally said, because she'd seemed expectant.

_Beautiful. Gorgeous. Breathtaking._

Of course, he'd never say any of that.

For some reason, he thought she looked disappointed. Her smile seemed to drop by a fraction, and Neji was about to ask her what was wrong, when her eyes dropped to their entwined hands. Or rather, his hand, encasing her own.

Wanting to avoid awkward questions, Neji tugged on her hand slightly, before leading her away from her house, towards the marketplace, where most of the festivities would be occurring.

He didn't let go the entire evening. Their entwined hands had attracted a few gazes, from Kakashi, Ino, Shikamaru, Sakura and Hinata – and even some eyebrow-waggling by Gai and wide-eyed looks by Lee. Neither of them had understood the cause of it. Or perhaps Tenten had, but preferred to remain silent. Neji certainly didn't. He nearly forgot the fact that he was holding her hand, that he'd initiated it, and that it could imply a whole lot of things. For some reason, his Hyuuga etiquette and standoffishness escaped him. It felt comfortable, and heart-warming in a way. So he continued to hold her hand throughout the night, enjoying the feeling when her fingers tentatively curled around his own.

He finally let go when they reached one of the stalls – the one where you had to hit balloons with kunai to win prizes. Tenten had been overcome with excitement, and Neji unwillingly let her go, to watch as she enthusiastically pelted weapon after weapon, bursting every single balloon, and leaving the poor civilian handling the stall rather flabbergasted and overwhelmed. She didn't take the prize, though, which seemed to relieve the man.

"You know, you were only supposed to hit five in a row," Neji informed her, rather amused by her excitement. It bought a smile to his face, seeing her eyes light up the way they had.

"Practice," Tenten said, shrugging, before pointing towards the the food stall, where Lee was currently stuffing his face with dumpling after dumpling.

-X-

When the festival finally ended, it was nearly midnight. They'd watched the fireworks together, on Tenten's insistence, though the show had been ruined by Lee and Gai's fervent proclamations and tears, which they claimed were induced by the youthfully moving pyrotechnics display.

They finally bade good-bye to the two Green Beasts, and Neji offered to drop Tenten home.

"I'm a kunoichi," she argued, misunderstanding his reasons, "I can take care of myself, you know!"

Neji didn't know how to tell her he only wanted to drop her so he could walk beside her, spend some more time with her, be able to look at her face, hear her laugh... he didn't actually realize these exact reasons himself until a little later that night. Or if he did, he found difficulty in admitting it.

"Gai told me to escort you," Neji lied, "And your apartment is on the way."

Shifting the blame to Gai would always work, he reasoned.

"Liar," Tenten snorted, seeing through the ruse, "And like you always do what Gai tells you to! I'm not some weak civilian, you know! I don't need escorts!"

"I know that," Neji said patiently, sighing, "But – I just – would feel more comfortable if you let me drop you, okay..."

Tenten muttered something about patriarchal societies, and Neji ignored this, wondering if he should have told her the truth. Her grumbling didn't last long though – she was soon chattering away about the fireworks, and how it would be really cool if she could incorporate them into one of her techniques.

"What would the point of that be?" Neji questioned dryly.

"It'd look _awesome_!" Tenten said as if it were obvious, "Imagine – I finish off Twin Rising Dragons, and the last array of weapons zooms upwards, exploding into colourful fireworks, as I spin back to the ground... it would be _awesome_!"

Neji visualized the idea, and had to agree that it would. But he wouldn't tell her this.

"It's impractical," he said instead, "By releasing fireworks you'd accomplish nothing but notify other enemies of our location. That's foolish, and you know it. Stealth is of utmost importance to a shinobi, and fireworks would dispel that entirely."

"...I know that," Tenten mumbled glumly after a moment, looking put-out, "Geez, Neji. I was just talking. Don't be such a killjoy."

He immediately felt guilt curdle in his stomach, though he knew it was insignificant. Somehow the disappointment in her voice stung him. The sparkle had disappeared from her eyes, and nothing was more important to him than seeing it back.

"You know, thinking of it differently, fireworks would also be a good way to alert other Konoha nin of your location. In case you needed back-up or something," Neji said after a moment.

"You have your Byakugan," Tenten dismissed, "You don't need fireworks."

"I would be fighting alongside you," Neji said immediately, and Tenten smiled.

His spirits lifted – and then seconds later, he felt the tips of her fingers brush against his.

He watched carefully from the corner of his eye, as Tenten continued the conversation. It had been an accident – she hadn't done it intentionally.

And then moments later, their fingers brushed again. It was probably because they were walking so close, but it annoyed him. So he slowly slid his fingers through hers, wrapping his hand over hers again.

Color rose to both their cheeks, but it was dark, so neither noticed.

When they reached her house, he pulled his hand away, feeling rather awkward. He'd never been awkward around Tenten, but something seemed different.

"Thanks for – dropping me home," Tenten said, twiddling her thumbs together. She was staring at the ground for some reason. Her bangs fell over her forehead, almost obscuring her eyes.

She seemed to feel awkward as well. Neji didn't get what was wrong with the both of them.

"Good night," he said, nodding, and on impulse, he reached out, gentle brushing the bangs away from her forehead, his fingertips skimming the smooth skin.

It set his heart leaping again, and he noticed Tenten was staring at him wide-eyed, completely frozen.

Not knowing what to say, not wanting to offer an explanation for what he knew was definitely uncharacteristic, and probably _inappropriate _behaviour, Neji took advantage of her temporary paralysis to turn around and leap up, taking to the rooftops.

He saw her, from the back of his head (he'd activated the Byakugan the moment he'd turned around). She was still staring after him, her fingers coming up to touch the spot where he'd touched her just seconds ago.

And as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop, Neji realized that his heart was pounding much faster than it should have; running had never been so exerting for him.

And when he lay in bed that night, running through the events of the night, the past few months, the past few years – did it all hit him like a bolt of lightning-based jutsu.

_I'm attracted to her. And it's more than just a silly infatuation. _

-X-

Neji didn't go into denial when the revelation about his feelings for Tenten finally hit him. He'd actually been in denial for weeks already, he realized.

He didn't try distancing himself from her, or pushing her away – it would be pointless, and she was too dear a friend for him to lose by such callous behaviour.

He tried suppressing the feelings at first, getting over them – but he soon realized this was pointless as well. They were too strong. He cared for her too much. And though emotion was considered unnecessary to ninja, Naruto had at least taught him that much – friends, and feelings mattered. And Neji realized blocking out his emotions was proving to be much more distracting than actually allowing them to flow.

So he did. Neji didn't show it though, not after that lapse of judgement after the festival. Luckily, Tenten didn't question him about the incident, and he was grateful. She was acting normal, and Neji did as well. They had always been close, and no one would have realized the subtle shift in the atmosphere around them.

Neji did, though. He was always acutely aware of Tenten, her voice, her movements, her smell – and everything about her attracted him to her.

Even when her hair was bound, and she was clad in her red and white training garb (she'd changed it recently; though Neji wouldn't admit it, he thought it was a pity; The pink top had at least allowed view of those lean, beautifully shaped, strong arms. But he approved of the color combination.) – even then, Neji found her attractive. He always had, but now he was acknowledging it.

His heart-rate quickened when she was near, but it wasn't as disconcerting as before, since he now knew the reason. He watched her carefully, trying to gauge how she felt. Though Neji prided his Byakugan on his all-seeing abilities, he found that he couldn't see what Tenten thought. Like him, she hid her feelings well – if they existed at all. Other than a few blushes (which could be because of awkwardness or shyness, not actual emotion), she acted perfectly normal.

And Neji wasn't going to risk her friendship until he was perfectly sure of it all. It was too early as well. He'd wait until he was sixteen, or at least until he was Jounin – whichever came first. He needed to achieve a certain standard in his shinobi life before he moved onto other pursuits.

So they continued, as they had before, a few moments arising over the months. Like when Tenten had corrected his grip on a katana during practice, her hands sliding over his own, her foot nudging his own into the correct stance... that had sent Neji's heart spiralling.

-X-

But the main realization, at least for Neji, happened only after a particularly strenuous B-rank mission, a few months before his sixteenth birthday.

They'd gone home to change, shower and rest, only to meet up in the evening for the customary team dinner. Gai had looked rather excited about the whole affair, which was unusual. Though Gai was usually excited about all team dinners, and forms of team bonding in general, this time he'd been literally bouncing up and down in excitement. They'd seen him cackling about something to Kakashi as well.

"Something is obviously up," Tenten said, "Judging from his reaction, he's probably beaten Kakashi in some ridiculous challenge. I've never seen him so excited since the time we made Chuunin!"

Neji stiffened suddenly, at Tenten's comment, anticipation tingling in his nerves. He hadn't thought of that before – but it was highly likely. Could that be it? Could it be a promotion? Could it be – a promotion to Jounin?

He'd heard rumours about an upcoming promotion. They'd been assigned an ANBU on one mission, to watch over them. The masked man hadn't fought, but just watched, and taken notes.

Now Neji realized why that had all happened – Since there were no exams for Jounin, the candidates were just selected carefully after being watched and surveyed. One of them was probably being promoted. Maybe two – it was too much to hope for all three.

And though Neji never considered himself superior anymore, he knew it was most likely him. Lee was a bit too immature, and Tenten wasn't as physically strong as either of them. Come to think of it, he remembered Hiashi had met the elders in Tsunade's office just a few days ago.

It all made sense – he was being promoted. He was going to become Jounin. A higher ranking. An honor.

He'd always wanted to achieve that rank.

Jounin.

So why was it filling him with such mixed emotions? Why didn't it feel as good as it should have?

-X-

"I have amazing news," Gai said breathlessly when he arrived, plopping himself down next to Lee, "And I wanted all four of us here together when I revealed it!"

"What is it?" Lee asked excitedly, bouncing up and down, "What is it?"

Neji was silent, clenching his fists together, his heart thumping wildly. Tenten was silent besides him as well, though she kept shooting him covert looks from the corner of her eye.

Gai paused dramatically for a moment, breathing deeply. Then –

"NEJI HAS MADE THE RANKING OF JOUNIN!"

Neji felt a swooping sensation in his stomach at this. There were two loud gasps, one from beside him, and one from across.

Tenten and Lee were both staring at him, identical looks of shock on their faces.

And then Tenten's relaxed, to a smile. A wide, beaming, _proud _smile which made him melt. Lee, on the other hand, continued to look shocked – with a barely detectable trace of disappointment, until he hastily arranged his features into a grin.

"Congratulations, Neji!" Lee gushed, grabbing his hand and shaking it firmly, "That was much deserved. You are a spectacular ninja!"

"Th-thanks," Neji muttered, suddenly feeling a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Jounin.

It was only him.

He'd seen the disappointment on Lee's face.

He was Jounin.

Tenten and Lee were Chuunin.

He'd have to take separate missions, with other Jounin. Not with his team, not with Tenten and Lee.

It would be a great experience, working with other, more skilled ninja. It should have been a relief, finally being offered a release from Gai's insane tutelage. A part of Neji felt proud, excited, important...

And yet, a part of him, felt regretful – he'd surpassed them. And in his heart, underneath the desire to succeed and become a great ninja – Neji also cared for his teammates deeply. He wanted to be with them. He wanted to fight with them. He wanted them to get promoted together, like they had during the Chuunin Exams.

The rest of the dinner passed rather uneasily. Gai, either oblivious or pretending to be, made jocular conversation, joined by Lee who painstakingly attempted to look cheerful and hide the obvious disappointment on his face. Lee was too nice to create a scene and ruin Neji's evening, but Neji knew he'd probably bawl about it later, and then go harder on himself during training as a punishment. Though Lee didn't consider him a rival, he considered him a worthy competitor at the least; he wouldn't be upset about Neji's promotion. He would be upset that he didn't get one himself.

Neji felt bad for him – he imagined how he'd feel if it were Lee right now with the promotion, not him. At least he'd have Tenten though...

Tenten herself, was oddly quiet. She kept glancing over at Neji, and there was an odd expression on her face. She seemed genuinely worried about his stony silence, but also sad, for some reason. And he knew she wasn't jealous. The way she'd smiled at him before, he could tell that she certainly wasn't jealous. Tenten wasn't like that.

When the evening finally dragged to an end, Lee politely bade goodbye to his teammates, Gai following him soon after.

Which left Neji alone with Tenten again.

"Um – I guess we should get going," Tenten said carefully, standing up.

"I'll walk you home," Neji offered immediately, and this time she didn't protest.

She knew his reasons.

They walked slowly through the moonlit streets, in silence, before Tenten finally spoke.

"What's bothering you, Neji?" she asked softly, stopping and turning to him. They were standing on the bridge, the river water gurgling below them. "I thought you'd be happy. This is what you wanted, right?"

Neji sighed, biting his lip, before shrugging.

"I thought so too," he admitted.

"Is it about Lee?" Tenten asked gently, "If it is, you don't need to feel guilty over it. Lee doesn't resent you, he's just disappointed he didn't get it himself. But that's not your fault, Neji. You never asked for this promotion. You're just really skilled at what you do."

Her words were like honey to his ears, somehow clearing his worries, making him feel slightly better about the things that had been plaguing him since earlier in the evening.

"I just remembered the Chuunin Exam," Neji said, "And I wished – it could have been the same."

Tenten smiled, a little sadly this time.

"I do to, Neji," she said, "But it's different now. Harder, tougher. You've always been the genius of our squad. This was bound to happen sooner or later."

Her voice was melancholic as well, and it made his heat clench.

"I'm proud of you, Neji," Tenten whispered, "You have no idea how proud. Don't worry about us. We'll manage, Lee and I. We'll take on more missions, and train harder, and one day, even we'll get a promotion, and then we can be a team again-"

Neji caught a slight tremor in her voice, and immediately placed his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes were dry, thank Kami for that. But she seemed so – sad.

"What's wrong, Tenten?" he murmured, his eyes searching into hers.

"Nothing," Tenten said immediately, before muttering, "I'm just being selfish..."

"What is it?" he pressed, leaning his face down, closer to hers, "Tell me."

"It's just – " Tenten pursed her lips, sounding upset, "This changes things, doesn't it?"

Neji swallowed the lump in his throat, digesting her words, her fears matching his own.

"Yes," he said after a while, "It does."

"I mean," Tenten said softly, "You won't be doing missions with us anymore. You won't be able to train with us that often. They'll give you longer missions and you'll be away from the village for days, except this time alone, or with others. You won't be able to come for team dinners. You won't be able to spar – with – m-me..."

Her voice cracked towards the end, and Neji wondered why a promotion that he'd always strived for should be making him feel this depressed.

"I'm sorry," Tenten gasped, "I'm being terribly selfish. It's just – I've become so used to you being there! I mean – when you were in the hospital, it was so difficult, and I know it's not the same – but – it's always been Gai and Lee. And you and I – and now – you – you're my closest friend, you know – I don't have a family, and it's been just Gai, Lee and you, but you've always been –"

"Shh," Neji said, shaking his head, cradling her face in his hands, "I'll always be there. It's not going to change things. I won't let it."

His heart twisted at Tenten's words, and he realized he felt the exact same way. He didn't want to leave her, he didn't want to take missions without her, he didn't want to miss team dinners no matter how annoying they were, because he didn't want to miss that chance to sit next to her. He didn't want to miss their daily sparring practices, their lunches together, that comfortable routine they'd established.

_I can't do it either, _Neji resolved, _so I won't._

He'd speak to Tsunade-sama. He'd convince her to let him stay with the team. After all, Gai was Jounin, and he did missions with them. He could even take on Tenten, and train her, so that _she _became Jounin! Gai would train Lee, he would train Tenten, they'd pass, and then they could do Jounin missions together. Till then, he'd request to stay with his team... a few Jounin solo missions or group missions would be unavoidable – but it would be better than branching away from Team Gai entirely.

Neji hadn't realized how much his team meant to him before this. They'd been with him for years, and become like a surrogate family (though he wasn't quite sure what role Tenten filled in this family). He couldn't lose them, he couldn't distance himself from them.

No matter how aggravatingly idiotic they could be at times, Team Gai was more important to Neji than his own life.

Especially Tenten.

He didn't say all of this, though. He'd never been one express his emotions that often. But he smiled reassuringly at Tenten, retracting his hands from her face, and placing them on her shoulders.

"To tell you the truth, those are all the reasons why I'm upset as well," Neji said, his voice steady.

Tenten looked surprised.

"Really? I thought – it was Lee –"

"It was. But it was mainly the fact that I wanted to remain a part of Team Gai," Neji murmured, before speaking again, his voice full of conviction, "But I'm a Jounin now, and I will have to take separate missions. But I'm going to request Tsunade-sama to keep me a part of Team Gai, so I can do a majority of my missions with you. I'll ask her to keep the solo missions to a minimum – with two Jounin, we can always take on tougher-ranked missions even as a team. You and Lee are talented, after all. She knows that. She won't deny me. It won't be the same as before, but it won't be that different either, except for the fact that I may miss a few sparring practices and a couple missions. But that's all. I promise."

Tenten's eyes were sparkling.

"Do you really mean it?" she whispered, "You don't have to do all that. I told you, I was being selfish! You shouldn't let us come in the way of your-"

"I'm doing it because I _want _to, Tenten," Neji said sternly, "You could never make me do anything."

This was a lie – she probably could, if she looked at him the right way. But no need to tell her that.

"I _want _to do this. And don't you dare say anything about _coming in my way. _Remember who helped me train during the first Chuunin Exam, Tenten. Remember who helped me perfect my Kaiten, my Kaiten which is winning me so much acclaim today, which is saving my life on missions. It was _you. _You're the reason I've gotten so far, and I _want _to spar with you, as often as we used to."

"Neji..."

"I'm going to ask Tsunade-sama if I can train _you. _Personally. I'm a Jounin now, so it would be allowed, as part of my profession. I'll train you, and then you'll become Jounin as well. You're already close, you know."

"Neji!" Tenten was flushing, "I – that – that's really nice of you – but – but – don't you think your missions should take priority over training me?"

"Consider it payback for a few years ago," Neji replied smoothly.

"... I don't know what to say..." Tenten admitted, biting her lip, "I mean – you're a _Jounin _and-"

"It doesn't matter. Things are still the same, Tenten. They always will be. I don't care if I'm a rank higher than you. It doesn't matter to me. You're still my teammate, above all of that. Don't forget."

"So we're still going to be Team Gai, then?" Tenten asked, eyes bright.

"We will always be Team Gai," Neji promised, before adding jokingly, "You don't think I'd leave you to the mercy of those two morons, do you? I'd never get over the guilt if they managed to convert you as well."

Tenten made a face, before grinning.

"They'll never convert me," she giggled, "I'd never wear that horrendous spandex. But it'd be a bit overwhelming, since they'd always outnumber me..."

The knot in his stomach unclenched at the sound of her laughter. Neji decided that he certainly wouldn't leave her. Though the thought of her in spandex wasn't as revolting as it would have been years ago (he'd seen her curves during the festival), he certainly wasn't abandoning his best friend to the copious amounts of youth which would certainly be unhealthy and drive the poor girl insane.

"So it's decided," Neji smiled down at Tenten, "I'm staying."

"You're staying," Tenten repeated, and he found the smile on her face extremely pretty at that moment.

Suddenly, the prospect of being Jounin didn't look so grim anymore. In fact, the initial excitement he'd felt began to kick back in... he couldn't wait to tell Hiashi!

"I'll speak to Tsunade-sama about it tomorrow morning," Neji told her, "So don't worry."

"I'm not," Tenten shook her head, "I'm just so proud of you! And so happy – I was before as well, but then I was sad too... I'm sorry I ruined it for you..."

"You didn't," Neji said immediately, "I felt that way too. I'm just glad we could figure things out..."

"Yeah," Tenten said, shoving her hands into her pockets, "It's late... we should go..."

He walked her home, and bade her goodnight, before turning to leave, but she stopped him, grabbing his wrist.

He turned around, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Tenten immediately let go of him, and he noticed she was blushing furiously.

"What is it?" he enquired, as she fidgeted for a while.

She seemed to be undergoing some kind of a mental debate, so he waited patiently until she spoke.

"It's just – I – haven't congratulated you properly – yet," Tenten said haltingly, turning redder and redder.

"What do you mean?" he asked, bemused, wondering why she was turning so red; was she getting a cold?

Tenten took a few hesitant steps towards him – and then suddenly she leaned forwards, a hand resting on the crook between his shoulder and neck, and kissed his cheek.

It was brief, yet electrifying – her lips brushing against his skin for a moment – before she whirled around and darted into her house, slamming the door before he could even react or see the expression on her face. (It didn't occur to him to use the Byakugan, his head was spinning so).

Neji stood, rooted to the spot, staring dazedly after her, his stomach leaping and heart flipping like Lee when he attempted the Lotus.

He reached up to graze his fingers against the spot where she'd kissed him – Tenten had _kissed _him – replaying the moment in his mind multiple times, before it finally hit him he had to head back to the Compound.

When he reached, Neji went straight to his room, promotion to Jounin forgotten entirely.

He showered and changed, but when he got into bed, he couldn't go to sleep. He didn't want to.

He sat there, against his pillows, his hand at his cheek, as he closed his eyes, trying to relive the moment again and again. (If only he had a Sharingan; it could come in use for this sort of thing...)

He revelled in the lingering feeling of Tenten's lips against his skin, his heart rate accelerating every time he thought of it, which was pretty much the entire time.

And just as he was drifting to sleep, a though wafted across his mind, surprisingly clear and coherent in his dazed state.

_I'm in love with Tenten._

The realization nearly startled him awake again. But there was no denying it this time. He couldn't deny it.

It made his heart skip a beat, and his stomach flutter even more, and he felt completely and overwhelmingly exhilarated, as the words echoed in his head, the situation as clear as crystal.

_I'm in love with Tenten. My teammate, sparring partner, and best friend. Tenten. _

And then, he realized, once again thinking of this kiss, that maybe, possibly – she felt something similar for him...

Neji fell asleep that night, a smile etched across his face, undoubtedly to dream about kissing, lots of kissing – and Tenten.

**-X-**

**End of Part 3**

_A/N – End of the 'fillerish' arc. Next up, Shipuuden! Which means I get to write water prison scene, yay!_

_Please review! ;) _


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note – I am truly very sorry I have taken so long on this update. I'm in IB right now though, and you have no idea how crazily busy I've been – with school work, tests, extra-curricular activities, SAT, university applications and stuff. Frankly, the next two months are going to be hectic for me as well, so I don't know when the next chapter is going to get posted up. This particular 'part' is rather long as it covers whatever has happened in the manga after chapter 245, so I've only been able to post up about a third of it, for you all, since I don't want to keep you waiting longer._

_But there is NejiTen-ness for you all, so I hope you'll enjoy it! And yes, there is water prison fluff =) Finally! _

_I've had to re-watch a lot of episodes to get some of the dialogues perfect. It's all anime/mangaverse, except for my little additions, particularly one nice little scene ;) Though half the dialogues from the English-sub and half from the English-dub so yeah =P _

_Anyways, hope you all enjoy it, and I promise I'll update as soon as I can! Please review! _

_Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto._

**Neji Gaiden – Part 4**

-X-

Neji was quite careful around Tenten for the next few days. Though he was well aware of his emotions, he couldn't possibly let her find out. Neji had always been an expert at masking his true feelings, and this was no different. It was almost natural to act like platonic friends, and Tenten would never realize how she actually made him feel.

A part of him, however, still nagged at him, begging him to act on his feelings. He was already Jounin, after all, an extremely respectable rank. There was a long way to go for an ANBU promotion, if he decided he even wanted one in the first place. He'd achieved his goal, so what held him back from telling her?

I'll wait, he decided, pushing away these thoughts, until she reaches Jounin. I can't distract her before that; nor can I ruin our bond unless I am sure of her feelings for me.

Fortunately for Neji, Tsunade almost immediately agreed to his idea regarding staying with his own team.

"I'd intended for you to do exactly that," she had said, smiling, "Though you're talented, you're still young, Neji. I don't want you to go on such heavy missions yet. You're more than capable, I know, but you're still too young, and unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't want you tarnished by all of that. You'll have a couple solo missions, or missions with other Jounin, and you'll certainly be expected to attend Jounin meetings, but I think you'll find that things won't change much other than that. I'm not breaking up your team just because you outranked Tenten and Lee. You three work and train together most effectively, and I intend to keep it that way. There's a lot they can learn from you; and though you're Jounin, there's a lot you can benefit from them as well."

Neji had nodded politely, happiness swelling within him, and rushed to relay the news to Tenten who had been thrilled.

Gai had seen the advantage of having two Jounin on one team. During their very next mission, one which involved procuring a certain important scroll, he split them up into two-man squads. Neji, as a Jounin, could take Tenten under his protection (though she'd scowled and said she didn't need it) and Gai, as usual, paired up with Lee. Gai had bought them wireless radios to communicate, and by splitting up they found they could attack the enemy from two sides (Lee and Gai ambushed the foe, and Neji and Tenten joined thereafter) and complete the mission more efficiently.

They raced back to Konoha thereafter, not wanting to linger more than necessary. Though the mission had been a quick one, they'd been travelling at lightning speed. All four of them wanted to get back to the village, eat, and get some rest.

"So team, where are we doing lunch today?" Gai asked conversationally, and Neji and Tenten exchanged a look, before shrugging.

They'd been planning to eat lunch alone (meaning without Gai and Lee's company) – preferring something more peaceful, and full of _intelligent _conversation. Still, if Gai and Lee were piling on, they wouldn't object. Though it irked Neji slightly that he wouldn't get to be alone with Tenten, he thought it was probably for the better.

Controlling emotions was hard on you, even if you were supposedly made of ice like Neji Hyuuga. Because after some time, even ice begins to melt, and that was what was happening to Neji; though in his own mind he thought a more appropriate metaphor would involve the icy layers being scraped away with kunai… but all the same, he wasn't finding it easy.

"Ramen!" Lee suggested joyously, "Let's go to Ichiraku's!"

"Naruto's really rubbing off on you," Tenten sighed, though she didn't protest.

"Ramen it is then," Gai decided, "I'm really looking forward to a nice hot meal to replenish my youth!"

"Why, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked confused, "Why does it need replenishing? You said the flames of youth burn eternally?"

Neji snorted, as Gai attempted to cover up this slip.

"_His _flames certainly don't. What is he now, forty?" Neji muttered, and Tenten stifled a giggled.

"Don't let him hear you say that!" she whispered, still giggling, and Neji's heart fluttered at the sound, "And he's nearly thirty, _not _forty!"

They continued on to Konoha, and Gai and Lee began an effervescent debate on something asinine, while Neji and Tenten listened in silence, Neji making a few dry comments at intervals.

"I AM AFRAID THAT I MUST DISAGREE, GAI-SENSEI!" Lee was shouting passionately, as the familiar red gates came into view, "SQUIRRELS ARE CERTAINLY THE MORE YOUTHFUL ANIMAL!"

"Can we just ditch them?" Neji asked his female teammate, "They're going to continue this senseless argument for the next three hours. We won't be able to eat in peace…"

"I actually agree with you," Tenten nodded, "I mean, I'm really fond of them both, but there's been an overdose of youth on this mission. I can't take anymore. I don't know why the hell they're acting like such children."

"More childish than usual, you mean," Neji corrected.

"Yes," Tenten said, "I think it's got to do with you."

"How is it _my _fault they're morons?" Neji asked, taken aback.

"You're Jounin now, so Gai probably thinks he has less responsibility or something…"

"And he takes the opportunity to emulate a three-year old," Neji concluded, glancing over at their sensei, who was now attempting to mimic some kind of an animal – a chipmunk, maybe? Or was it a squirrel? Whatever it was, Lee looked quite upset.

They slowed down their pace as they neared the gates (Neji and Tenten had downright _refused _a quadruple dynamic entry into Konoha, something which Gai had proposed earlier), sighting a familiar figure.

"Tsunade-sama," Neji murmured, "Why is she standing at the gates?"

"Aw, it's a good thing," Tenten whispered, "We can just deliver our mission report here and get over with this!"

Neji smirked slightly, understanding what she meant. Though Lee and Gai meant a lot to him as well, they were being particularly infuriating (and had been) on this mission. He craved some tranquility.

Unfortunately for them, it was not to be so.

Tsunade accosted them right at the gates, looking rather impatient.

"You're back," she sounded relieved, "How was the mission?"

"A success!" Gai shouted with gusto, shooting her a wide smile. Tsunade grimaced.

"I hope you have suffered no injuries," she asked, pocketing the scroll Gai handed to her rather hastily.

Neji was confused – she didn't seem too bothered about their mission as such. Usually, she'd check over the scroll to ensure it was genuine.

"No injuries," Gai said proudly, "Not a scratch."

"Good," Tsunade nodded approvingly, "because I have a mission for you!"

"What?" Tenten burst out, "A mission? Right now?"

Neji himself didn't object verbally, though he too was _not _in the mood for another mission just yet. They were exhausted. And it would be mentally taxing, staying in the company of Gai and Lee for that long…

"Yes," Tsunade said firmly, "You all are to go on the same mission as Kakashi's team."

She continued without even waiting for them to agree; though it was expected they would as per protocol, this time Neji thought she seemed in a hurry, abandoning usual etiquette.

_Kakashi's team? That must mean this is a pretty serious mission… they haven't been deployed in ages… even though they just reformed… _

"Your mission is to head for the Sand and support them with Kakashi's team. Understood?"

Neji and Tenten both sighed, before nodding determinedly. They were tired, and Sand was quite a long way away. But they would do what was required of them. Lee had an excited glint in his eyes, all traces of fatigue miraculously disappearing. The same could be said for Gai.

"Alright!" Gai announced zealously, pumping his fist, "Everyone, let's get to sand in one day!"

Tenten exhaled loudly, biting her lip and Neji just shook his head.

"NO!" Lee cried, and for once Neji actually thought he was being rational, until he opened his mouth again.

"Let's get there in half a day!" Lee said exuberantly, and Tenten rolled her eyes, looking supremely annoyed.

"What are they thinking?" Neji muttered, "It will take three days."

Tenten nodded, giving him a rather exasperated look.

"_Please _stop talking nonsense like that!" she begged, but to no avail.

Looking immensely pleased with themselves, Gai and Lee took off, leaving Neji and Tenten with Tsunade, who looked rather sympathetic herself.

"Why are they so immature?" Tenten deplored.

"They are what they are, Tenten," Neji replied, turning to her, "Come on."

They took off as well, bounding after the rest of their squad, despite the fact that they were tired, travel-worn, and hungry.

It was only one mission, after all, to the Sand. Probably nothing more than a political mission, Neji reasoned.

Little did he know how wrong he was.

-X-

"Hey!" Tenten gasped, after nearly twelve hours of non-stop running, "You guys are going to fast!"

Neji silently agreed, his legs aching as he leapt from branch to branch, his chest heaving. Gai and Lee were a few meters ahead, not showing signs of fatigue despite the fact that they hadn't rested or eaten after their last mission.

"We've been running – non-stop – for an entire – day already!" Tenten panted, "Let's take a break!"

Lee turned slightly, his voice floating through the trees, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Tenten, you lack discipline," he said with mock-sternness.

Tenten glared at him, but Lee just winked before turning back ahead, and picking up his pace if anything, just to annoy her.

They forged on ahead, before Neji suddenly picked up a presence, coming nearer to them. He opened his mouth to warn his teammates, but before he could, the presence made itself known.

"Gai! Wait!" A gravelly voice called.

All four of them stopped running, landing neatly on a tree branch and whipping around.

"Pakkun?" Gai asked, eyeing the floppy little dog.

"Kakashi ordered all eight of us ninja dogs to split up and search for the members of the Akatsuki separately…"

Neji stiffened at this, and he heard a sharp intake of breath from Tenten.

_Akatsuki? Is this what it's all about?_

"We discovered that they headed for the River Country between Konoha and Sand," Pakkun continued, "Your group is the closest to the Akatsuki heading from Konoha to the Sand, so we came here."

"I see," Lee muttered, "That's what this mission was all about from the beginning…"

"Follow me," Pakkun said, "I'll explain while running."

"Great!" Gai said maniacally, though he suddenly looked serious, "Everyone, let's go!"

Neji heard Tenten groan beside him as they took off.

"This is ridiculous," she said, sounding genuinely worried, "We haven't eaten or slept in days, and we just got back from another mission! We're in no state to fight enemies like that!"

Neji get an uncomfortably curdling sensation in his gut, realizing that she was completely right.

He was beginning to have a bad feeling about this mission…

-X-

They were making their way across a rocky, dried-up riverbed, when Neji first felt it.

That overwhelming, swirling chakra. It was huge, and menacing, a great ball of power and malice, packed together.

Pakkun seemed to sense it too. The nin-dog was sniffing the air frantically, looking anxious.

"What's the matter?" Lee asked.

"Someone's coming!" Pakkun yelped.

Neji furiously scanned the area with his Byakugan, eyes widening.

"Behind us!" he shouted out, grabbing Tenten's hand and pulling her up as he jumped.

He didn't know what made him do it, but he acted almost instinctively, hoping that the rest of them had understood his warning as well.

Fortunately they had.

There was a loud, deafening explosion, showering rocks everywhere, before an enormous tidal wave of water erupted out of seemingly nowhere, roaring as it rushed over the rocks, flooding the entire area.

Neji felt Tenten's fingers slip away from his. It was alright, though. She'd be able to take care of herself.

They landed, cautiously, on two raised hills of slippery rock, flecks of water hitting their faces, as the waves continued to crash around them tumultuously.

"What the-" Lee breathed beside him, rubbing his eyes as he stared at a large figure that appeared before them, standing proudly on one of the larger rocks jutting out from the tempestuous waters.

He was a man, though he looked more like some sort of a aquatic beast, resembling a shark. He had tough-looking bluish skin, spiky hair, yellow eyes, and jagged teeth, flashing a malicious grin. He carried a gargantuan bandaged sword, and was clad in a black cloak, with red motifs.

_Akatsuki, _Neji realized, recognizing the patterns on the cloak.

This was it.

His eyes flicked over to Tenten, who was staring wide-eyed, her knuckles whitening as she clutched her scrolls as if they were here lifelines.

Gai was blinking, staring at the man with narrowed eyes, a flash of recognition passing his face.

"You – you are…" Gai began, but then shook his head, confused.

"Do you know him, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked.

"I have fought him before, I believe," Gai said gravely.

There was a silence, as Gai and the shark-man held each other's gazes. Neji expected some kind of a stunning revelation at that moment. The suspense and awkwardness was thick in the air.

"Who are you?" Gai finally asked lamely, and Neji suppressed the urge to slap his own forehead.

"You can't remember your own enemy?" Tenten griped, exasperated despite the dangerous situation.

The shark-man chuckled.

"Even your own students have no trust in you," he observed, "It seems the 'Bizarre Beast' is a dumb one as well."

_Bizarre beast, _Neji thought, _It is an apt description. He obviously remembers Gai well._

"Well at any rate," the man continued, leering, "I better refresh your memory!"

His chakra seemed to pulsate, Neji could sense it. It was huge, and dark, darker than he'd ever sensed.

"What an overwhelming chakra," he said aloud, "I've never seen someone with this much power since Naruto…. so this is Akatsuki…"

Suddenly, the man flipped his giant sword, with the ease with which Tenten would casually flip her kunai, before tossing it high into the air.

He quickly made hand-seals, and Neji tensed in anticipation.

Suddenly, a wall of water rose, and rushed straight at them.

They leapt up, and the Akatsuki did as well, grabbing his sword which was spinning mid-air before landing on the movie wave, running along its rippling surface.

"Here we go!" he bellowed, grinning maniacally, as he sped towards them.

"Team, coordinate your attacks!" Neji heard Gai call over the roaring water, and in an instant, Gai was on the Akatsuki man, his legs stretched out to deliver a kick.

"Konoha Rising Gust!" Gai shouted, his movements as quick as lightning .

The Akatsuki was surprisingly fast as well, parrying the blows with his sword, and duo were locked together in hand-to-hand combat for a while, before Gai suddenly sprang back.

Neji took this as his cue, and landed in front of the man, his palm outstretched.

"Hakke Kuushou!" he called forth his new technique, his chakra tingling in his system, and sent out a powerful blast of compressed air at the man, who went flying back a few feet.

_Now's your turn, Tenten, _Neji thought, waiting expectantly.

The Akatsuki man struggled to recover, but before he could, a giant circular metal bomb with kunai and knives protruding from it came whizzing towards him, perfectly timed and aimed.

The man faltered, just managing to block Tenten's deadly missive with his sword.

Neji smirked, recognizing the new weapon from a few training practices back. Though it was quite an unseemly, bulky thing, its look were deceiving. Neji knew from experience that it was actually a bomb.

BOOM!

Milliseconds later, the grenade exploded, showering kunai and shrapnel everywhere.

"Nice!" Lee cheered, but Tenten didn't look so sure, her brown eyes narrowed as she peered through the spray of water and smoke that had resulted from her explosion.

For some odd reason, despite the fact that they were in a battle, an exceedingly dangerous one at that, Neji couldn't take his eyes off of her at that moment.

She was standing in her fighting stance, legs spread slightly, one arm around the scroll tucked behind her back, the rest of the unfurled paper draped around the other arm. Her eyes had a determined glint in them, and her bangs swayed in the wind.

She looked beautiful. Beautiful and deadly.

Neji allowed himself a few seconds to stare at her, before turning back to the battle at hand. Her bomb had made contact, at least it looked like that. However, he wasn't so sure.

They waited, with bated breath, as the smoke cleared.

"Damnit!" Neji heard Tenten curse, "Missed…"

But Tenten never missed. He knew that.

The shark-man emerged from the water surface, charred, with rivulets of water streaming from his face and clothes, looking exceedingly irritated.

He'd taken to the water, and Tenten's attack hadn't harmed him as badly as it should have. It seemed it had only served to annoy him. The rather amused demeanor from earlier had disappeared.

"Damn pesky brats," he grumped, "What a nuisance!"

"That aquatic ninjutsu and the giant sword!" Gai gasped suddenly, "You must be…"

"It seems like you finally remembered me?" the man asked, perking up.

"Someone I've met before," Gai finished again, perhaps even lamer than before.

The man looked livid.

"You really have a talent of getting on people's nerves," he growled, "I suppose I'll toy with you until you remember…"

Neji felt his blood run cold.

_He's only toying with us right now?_

-X-

They fought for minutes – or hours? Neji couldn't make out how long it was.

The Akatsuki was insanely powerful with massive chakra reserves. They kept alternating attacks, one by one, or all together, but nothing seemed to work.

The most Gai managed to do was make him lose his sword. But the moment Gai had grabbed it, sharp spikes jutted out, forcing him to drop it, his hands covered with blood.

"Oh no!" Lee cried, as Gai was forced backwards.

Gai swiveled his head towards them, nodding.

"NOW!"

Instantly, Neji, Tenten and Lee leapt up high, leaping at the Akatsuki man from different directions. Tenten had two gleaming pieces of metal, aimed to strike, and Lee struck out with his legs. Neji had his palms thrust out in his signature pose, as they flew down, the wind flapping and whipping through their clothes.

Neji saw the Akatsuki man make hand-seals, and suddenly, three large clones manifested from the water.

_Water clones. Damn._

He heard Tenten gasp beside him, as they hurtled towards the now multiple enemies, who were all facing them, their hands twisting rapidly through seals.

Neji lashed out with his hand, but it was gripped firmly by the clone first. From the corner of his vision he could see that another clone had grabbed Lee's outstretched leg and Tenten's hands as well.

"Damnit!" he grunted, struggling to strike, or somehow get free.

It was futile.

The clone sneered.

"Aqua prison no jutsu!"

"What?" Neji yelled, his heart hammering, as panic rose within him.

_No…_

Water rushed up, drenching him, covering his body.

"Aaaah!" he heard Tenten gasping besides him, her voice panicked and shrill.

"Guh!" he gasped to breath as the water surrounding him, encapsulating his entire body.

_Tenten! _

Lee was sputtering as well, but to no avail.

A few seconds later, all three of them were trapped, within swirling spheres of water, their breaths held.

_Shit! _Neji cursed, feeling a wave of fear he'd never felt before.

His eyes darted to the right, where Tenten had clamped her mouth, one eye squeezed shut as well.

His gaze met hers, panicked white eyes boring into desperate brown ones.

_No…_

The seconds passed, but they seemed like hours, and every moment seemed to drag by agonizingly, as Neji fought to keep his breath. It was having its effects on him. He was feeling light-headed and dizzy, his chakra behaving in a strange, uncontrollable manner. His lungs burnt, and his impeccable vision seemed to be getting blurry. He could hear nothing except an odd pounding in his ears as the water continued to hold him captive.

_Is this the end? Is this how Team Gai finally perishes? _he thought, his heart twisting painfully.

He could see Gai fighting for his life with the Akatsuki man, fuelled by a fury Neji had never seen before. Neji clenched his teeth, as the shark-man managed to land a blow on Gai, who was forced to use his super-strength to hold the sword away.

Blood spurted from Gai's mouth.

_NO! Gai-sensei!_

Lee looked anguished, his lips moving, his expression terrified. Neji couldn't hear him, but he knew the words that had spilled out of his mouth.

_Close your mouth you idiot!  
_

Neji ground his teeth – his lungs were burning, with a hot searing pain. He needed air… he needed oxygen… he had to will himself not to breath, for if he did, it would surely be the end of it…

There was no sign of Gai – he had disappeared beneath the surface of the rolling water. Neji suspected, or rather _hoped _that it was to recuperate. The blue-faced man was making more hand seals.

On his right, he saw Tenten clutching at her throat, her eyes fluttering.

_NO! _he panicked, fear welling within him, _Tenten's out of breath…_

_I have to do something, _Neji realized, determination taking over, _I can't let her – _

He wouldn't even voice the thought. It was unbearable.

The thought of Tenten, _his _teammate and best friend and the girl he loved – there was no _way _he was going to lose him to some stupid mass of chakra.

Images flashed unbidden to his mind – Tenten hugging him after he woke up after the fight with Kidomaru… Tenten, smiling cheerfully, as they passed the Chuunin exam together… Tenten, kissing his cheek, after he'd been promoted Jounin…

Neji felt energy, sudden energy, as his chakra flared within him. His eyes darted around the watery wall, until he finally detected a weak spot.

_This is it, _Neji thought, remembering the time they'd gone onto the mission to retrieve Sasuke.

They'd been stuck in a seemingly impenetrable barrier, but they'd made it out.

And this time…

Neji's eyes flicked again on Tenten, who looked as if she were on the verge of passing out.

_I will not lose her._

He gathered his chakra, mustering up as much as he could. He felt currents, rivers of it, flooding his system.

_Eight Trigram, Sixty-Four Palm!_

SPLASH!

Neji felt exhausted as massive amounts of chakra were pulled from his body; but it worked.

The water prison exploded outwards, showering droplets everywhere. Neji didn't stop then though. He leapt at the water clone, his fingers moving rapidly, almost automatically, after years of practice. He hit Lee and Tenten's clones as well. Lee was freed first, and immediately joined him, crying out 'Leaf Spinning Wind!' as he delivered a hard kick to Tenten's clone, before landing on the water, regaining his breath.

Neji didn't stop then.

He whirled around, heart pounding, as the water around Tenten splashed away. She tipped forwards, and he ran to catch her, one arm encircling her waist and the other wrapping around her upper back.

He held her in his arms, pressing her soft, wet body to his for a moment, exhaling in relief when he felt her heartbeat against his chest, and the rise and fall of her chest against his own.

The relief was overwhelming – he almost wanted to cry, but he wouldn't. So was the feeling of holding her against him, every part of her body meshed up against his own. She was wet – they both were, their clothes drenched. He could feel her curves, pressed against his chest, and despite the circumstances, Neji felt heat rushing to his southern regions.

He immediately pulled away, just enough so that they weren't touching so intimately, though his arms were still around her.

"Tenten," he gasped, his voice shaking with concern, "Are you alright?"

She was still slumped over him, her chin resting over his shoulder. She slowly pulled away, standing upright, her eyes dazed. He didn't let go, but he adjusted his arms slightly, his hands still resting on her waist and back.

Tenten blinked, her brown eyes gazing into his, a light blush coloring her cheeks. He could see the rivulets of water streaming down her face, gathered along her beautiful lashes. Her lips were slightly parted, and her bangs were plastered against the sides of her face.

She was shaking slightly in his arms, and she was wet – but she was _alive, _and alright – and Neji wanted nothing more at that moment to lean in and kiss her, to steal away the breath that she had finally taken in away from her...

"Thanks, Neji," Tenten murmured softly, "I owe you…"

He tilted his head downwards, ever so slightly, his arms tightening around her. Tenten didn't say anything more, or move away, but just continued to gaze at him, brown eyes slightly wide.

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to press his lips up against hers, tangle his hands into her wet hair, clutch her even tighter to his chest. And at that moment, he was feeling rather light-headed, and full of adrenaline.

He would have. Neji would have kissed her, right at that moment, in the middle of a battle, in front of Lee, Gai and the Akatsuki member.

However, as he leaned in, savoring the feeling of Tenten's quickened breaths ghosting across his lips, there was a loud roaring sound, followed by a huge splash, and a familiar sizzling noise.

_Maybe later, _Neji thought, snapping to his senses, as he and Tenten both turned around, seeing the figure of Gai-sensei jump up from the water, his body blazing with chakra.

He'd opened a few gates, it was obvious.

Lee gave a loud whoop, and even Tenten laughed shakily.

Neji felt a sudden wave of exhaustion, and began to sit down, helping Tenten even though she probably didn't need it. He just didn't want to stop touching her, and this was an excuse.

They crouched on the water, and Neji slipped his hand under the enormous scroll she carried so that he could securely wrap his arm around her waist, his other hand lingering on her shoulder before he finally let go. Her crouched knees rested heavily against his own, but he didn't mind, enjoying the feeling of their proximity. He could feel her breathing, and they stayed like that, crouched together on the water, Lee a few feet away, as they watched their sensei move into a familiar battle position.

His arms were stretched out, one of his knees bent, the other leg pointing straight downwards.

Neji recognized the pose almost instantly.

"Is that-" Tenten began beside him, sounding awed, and Neji nodded, understanding her question before she actually asked it. He allowed a smile to grace his face.

"Yeah," he murmured, feeling rather privileged that they'd be able to watch their sensei perform this move.

It was one of the few times Neji harbored a high respect for Gai. Despite all his quirks, he truly was a magnificent shinobi.

Two flames suddenly burst from Gai's hands.

"It's over!" Lee said reverently.

"MORNING PEACOCK!" Gai shouted, and balls of fire burst out behind him, before he zoomed at the Akatsuki man, his fists flying as he landed punch after punch after punch in rapid succession.

He was fighting water with fire – a risky trick considering the natural disadvantage – but he was still winning.

A few seconds later, it was all over.

The Akatsuki shark-man's smoking body crashed into the water, which almost instantly disappeared thereafter, including the droplets that had been clinging to their clothes and hair.

It was a strange sensation, feeling Tenten suddenly dry next to him, feeling his own clothes not plastered to his body any longer, but pleasant.

Neji grudgingly got up, sliding his hand away from Tenten, breaking the blissful contact, as they leapt towards the large crater in the ground, where Gai was standing.

The Akatsuki man was lying spread-eagled at the bottom, his cloak torn and bloodied.

Lee joined them on Tenten's other side, before making a weird strangled sound. Even Neji felt another wave of shock, as if he'd been punched in the gut.

"He – he's – " Gai began in a deep voice, looking stunned, as they surveyed the battered, brown-haired man.

He certainly was _not _the shark they'd been fighting.

"He used a – henge jutsu?" Lee asked, but Neji shook his head, a chill creeping into his veins.

"No. This was a technique _much _more powerful than a simple henge…"

His mind was still reeling from shock.

_Was all that really for nothing? And what kind of jutsu was that? How strong is the Akatsuki… _

-X-

"So the real enemy – is still back at the hideout, right?" Tenten asked finally, the first to recover from the shock.

"This guy's objectives were to slow us down and learn about our abilities," Neji said slowly.

The obvious fact that _he had succeeded _went unspoken, though all four members of Team Gai knew it.

"If so, we can't stay hear all day!" Lee spoke up, sounding panicked.

"He's right," Gai said gruffly, "Let's hurry on then!"

Neji, Tenten and Lee nodded, running after Pakkun, who led the way.

-X-

They flew through the forest after that, flashing from tree to tree like bolts of lightning, not a word passing between them.

Neji pushed away all the thoughts about Tenten that had invaded his mind, focusing solely on the mission ahead, his eyes wide and searching through the foliage.

They pushed on for twenty minutes, until until Gai, who had been leading the squadron, stumbled slightly over a branch.

It was barely anything, but Neji's sharp eyes soon picked it up – Gai _never _stumbled while running. He always moved with speed and some semblance of grace.

He exchanged a look with Tenten, who looked worried, her brown eyes narrowing, and then Lee, who had caught onto it as well.

"Gai-sensei," Lee called from behind, "Are you okay?"

"What are you talking about?" Gai shouted back, turning to look at the trio, "I'm always full of energy."

He beamed at them, before laughing maniacally, as he ploughed on, not seeing the thick tree obstructing his back.

"Sensei-" Tenten cried out, but it was too late.

Unfortunately for Gai, unlike Neji, he couldn't see from the back of his head, and promptly collided with the tree with a sickening crack, falling comically to the ground, where he lay twitching, his limbs sprawled out before him.

"Yikes," Tenten muttered.

Neji, Tenten and Lee all winced, alighting on tree branches, surveying him from above.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee cried.

"You aren't okay at all!" Tenten scolded, sounding worried.

"It's not surprising, he used Morning Peacock just minutes ago. We should rest somewhere," Neji said firmly.

-X-

They set camp that night, in a clearing in the forest.

Gai almost immediately collapsed, and began snoring loudly.

Lee followed almost immediately, slumped against a tree by his Sensei's sleeping bag, not even bothering to take out his own.

It was a peaceful night, the sound of the crickets chirping almost drowning out Gai's snores.

Neji realized, his heart giving a sudden leap, that with Gai and Lee asleep, he and Tenten were – almost _alone, _for the first time after the 'almost-kiss' a couple hours back.

They hadn't spoken properly after that. They'd been too busy running, too distracted by the imminent mission.

Both Neji and Tenten were silent for a few minutes, not saying anything, both deep in thought.

_Should I tell her?_

An internal battle raged within Neji's mind; after the fight with Kisame, it finally hit him how dangerous their profession had become. They were unofficially at war with the Akatsuki now, and that meant an exponential increase in risk for all of them.

He had realized how much Tenten really meant to him, and after experiencing, for a few terrible moments, the fear of losing her, Neji came to the conclusion that he would _have _to tell her.

Why delay it, when their world may topple over any moment? Neji knew that the next day would probably mean more encounters with the Akatsuki, probably worse ones.

After all, they hadn't fought the real Kisame after all, not yet.

Neji finally looked up, meeting Tenten's gaze.

She quickly diverted her eyes, and began fidgeting with something in her bag.

Neji's heart leapt.

He could detect a slight blush rise in her cheeks, illuminated by the flickering fire. It made her brown eyes sparkle with reflected light, and sent highlights across her brown hair.

Neji stood up, his heart pounding, and walked towards her.

_It's now or never._

Tenten had pulled out her blanket, and was rummaging for something else in her bag.

Neji crept up behind her, careful not to wake Gai or Lee, and placed a hand on her waist.

Tenten froze, and he moved his other hand forward, wrapping it around her glove-covered one.

She turned around, her face flushed, the tip of her nose accidentally brushing his due to their proximity, before she backed away, ever so slightly, a shocked expression on her face.

She didn't say anything though, but continued to stare at him out of wide eyes.

Neji gently tugged on her hand, and stood up, and she followed, allowing him to lead her to the other side of the clearing, away from Gai and Lee's slumbering forms.

"Neji," Tenten whispered, but he turned to her, placing a finger on her lips.

Her lips felt soft and smooth, against his finger, and Neji felt his own heartbeat accelerate.

Tenten blushed furiously, not meeting his gaze, and Neji moved his finger to her chin, tilting her head up and forcing her to look up at him.

"Don't say anything," he commanded in a whisper, and Tenten didn't, staring at him wide liquid brown eyes.

He gazed at her for a while, his heart racing, his mind almost blank. She looked tired, from the mission, and a bit apprehensive, but she was blushing, and the firelight was flickering on her face, in her eyes, and to Neji, she was _beautiful._

"You really had me worried earlier," Neji said quietly after a few moments, "Don't do that to me again…"

"I'm sorry," Tenten began, but Neji shook his head.

"You don't need to be. I just don't want to – lose you," he admitted softly.

Tenten was silent, staring up at him with unusually glassy eyes.

He placed a hand on her lower back, nudging her slightly closer to him.

Their noses bumped, and she gasped, and he felt it against his lips.

"Close your eyes," Neji murmured, and she obliged, eyelids fluttering shut.

Neji brushed her cheek with the tips of his finger, before slowing moving in, tilting his head, and brushing his lips against hers.

It was electrifying.

It was more than electrifying. Words couldn't describe the sensation Neji was feeling at that moment, the euphoric, leaping sensation that titillated his nerves and flooded through his entire body.

He kissed her on the lips once, and then twice, except the second time, he let his lips linger against hers for longer. Soon he felt her lips moving against his own, and Neji's heart and brain went into overdrive.

They kissed for a few seconds, Neji cupping her cheek with his hand, pulling her closer to him so that her soft body was pressed against his hard one.

He kissed her gently, his lips sliding and slipping over hers, though after a few seconds he tentatively ran his tongue along her lower lip. Tenten gasped slightly, and Neji smirked against her lips, taking the change to slide his tongue into her mouth, running it along her own.

It was an amazing, _addicting _feeling, and Neji could feel his entire body tingle with pleasure.

They kissed some more, tongues tangling together, and one of Tenten's hands soon found its way in Neji's hair, gripping the long locks, and both of Neji's arms were now wrapped around her waist, hugging her to him.

Neji finally broke the kiss, pulling away for oxygen, feeling light-headed and more exhilarated than he ever had in his life.

Tenten's eyes fluttered open, and she stared at him, before smiling shyly.

"Wow," she whispered breathlessly, carefully retracting her hands, though Neji didn't.

"Yeah," he breathed, unsure of what to say to her.

Words weren't really required though – Tenten understood. She'd understood it all a few hours ago, when he her in his arms, like he did now, after saving her. Neji was just giving her what he hadn't been able to before.

"We should rest," Neji finally murmured, "Tomorrow's mission won't be easy."

"Mhmm…" Tenten mumbled, staring at him dreamily.

Neji had always resented the doe-eyed, admiring gazes of his fangirls. But when Tenten looked at him that way – it made him want to grab her, and kiss her furiously.

He restrained himself though. It was the first time they kissed. He couldn't be too forceful.

"Good night, Tenten," Neji whispered, leaning in place a soft kiss on her cheek, his lips lingering a little longer than necessary.

He smirked, feeling extremely smug at the intensified blush on her face.

"G-good night," she stuttered, and Neji unwillingly let his hands slide from her waist.

She stared at him, looking absolutely adorable, a rather dazed expression on her face, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened.

Frankly, Neji couldn't either, and his heart was still doing funny things to him.

Tenten finally settled against the bark of a tree, snuggling into her blanket.

Neji was overcome by an urge to sit down next to her, and pull her into his arms. But he couldn't – Lee and Gai's reaction if they saw was _not _something he wanted to experience quite yet.

Instead, he opted for a spot just a foot away.

Tenten peeked at him again from where she was curled up, and Neji smiled slightly, his eyes soft.

_I love you._

He didn't know why, but he hadn't mustered the courage to actually say it yet.

Tenten smiled back, and Neji felt more fulfilled and happy then he ever had in his entire life.

She soon fell asleep, a calm and peaceful expression on her face, and Neji watched her, replaying the kiss in his mind.

He didn't know why, but there was no way _he'd _be able to sleep that night.

He watched her for almost an hour, maybe more, thinking about her, again and again, his mind soon wandering lecherously, coming up with extremely _inappropriate _scenarios.

Neji firmly pushed the thoughts out, blushing madly, though he knew he was aroused by them.

There was still time for that; but not now.

He had kissed her, and she had kissed him, and it was obvious that they had crossed a line in their friendship.

But for now, that was enough for Neji – at least when they were on a hazardous mission, with deadly enemies all around.

With much self-control, he finally tore his eyes away from her sleeping form, a small frown forming on his lips, as he stared steadily at the fire ahead.

They _had _to succeed on this mission and make it back safe to Konoha.

He now had more reason than ever.

-X-

It was still nighttime – or maybe early morning, around one or two, when Gai suddenly jerked away, looking revitalized and full of energy.

"Okay!" he grunted, "Break time over!"

Lee stirred awake as well, rubbing his bleary eyes.

"Gai-sensei, are you sure?" he asked, sounding surprisingly alert.

"You bet!" Gai grinned, shooting him a thumbs up, "I suddenly felt refreshed and woke right up!"

Neji cursed mentally. He'd finally given into his capricious mind's urges and had been dreaming up a rather delicious dream involving Tenten, when Gai had chose a most horrible moment to _rudely _interrupt him.

"Neji?" Pakkun asked, as the little dog stood up beside him.

"It's fine," Neji muttered, still feeling resentful of the interruption, though he knew it was probably for the better, "He recovers so fast. It's kind of annoying._"_

"Hm," Pakkun rasped, "But we need to wait for-"

"I'm fine too," Tenten said softly, looking extremely cheerful, and wide-awake.

She was usually grumpy in mornings, especially when woken up an unearthly hours.

But her eyes met Neji's and she smiled sweetly, and Neji stared back, entranced, before finally standing up.

Gai, Lee and Tenten stood up as well, and hoped the two green beasts hadn't caught their little 'interaction'.

It didn't seem like that had.

"Alright!" Gai commanded, "To make up for lost time, we are going to double the pace!"

"Huh?" Tenten asked disbelievingly, and she and Neji both stiffened in annoyance.

_Not again. It's two in the morning. _

Gai stuck up two fingers, but Lee shook his head, sounding pumped up.

"No. Let's go at triple the speed!" he suggested, holding up three fingers, before forming a fist. "That way we'll get there faster than we originally planned!"

Gai looked at him appreciatively, obvious agreeing with this proposal.

Neji and Tenten exchanged an exasperated glance – it was just the same as usual.

"Good thinking, Lee. But as a matter of fact," Gai began determinedly, "I know this is sudden – but let's go at QUADRUPLE the speed!"

His teeth shone in the firelight as he stuck out four fingers, thrusting them in Neji's face.

Neji stepped back, clenching his teeth, eyebrow twitching.

Tenten narrowed her eyes, looking exceedingly irritated.

"What?" Gai asked dumbly, "Is something the matter?"

"Yes," Neji replied, his voice dangerously soft, "That's physically impossible."

"Will you guys _please_ stop acting like that and getting carried away!" Tenten argued, throwing her hands up.

"Gai-sensei," Lee said sulkily, and for a moment Neji thought he was going to agree with him and Tenten for a change.

"That's why I suggested triple the speed. Perhaps that would be enough," Lee said instead, and Neji and Tenten both shook their heads.

"Lee," Pakkun muttered, "You're still missing the point."

"What point?" Lee asked.

"We are not speeding up just to reach early. We are also doing it – because that will push us to our limits, and HELP US IN OUR TRAINING!" Gai interjected.

"Training!" Lee yelled excitedly, and his eyes appeared to burst with flames, "That's a great idea, Gai-sensei!"

"That's not quite what I meant," Pakkun groaned.

"No," Neji said firmly, "You'll get us killed before we even reach."

"That's impractical and completely ridiculous," Tenten added.

"We'll go at a normal pace, and it will be fine," Neji said decisively.

"After all, what's the point of training hard right now, when we need to save our energy for later?" Tenten concluded.

Miraculously, that seemed to convince Gai (somewhat) and he finally agreed to travel at one and a half times of the previous day's pace.

"One and three quarter," Lee began, but Neji and Tenten quelled him with identical furious glares, and the team was soon off, flying through the forest at an inhuman pace, Neji and Tenten acting perfectly normal, as if nothing had happened.

For a moment, Neji almost wondered if it did, or if he'd dreamt it all up.

But Tenten looked in his direction, as they leapt through the forest, shooting him a mischievous wink.

He felt his heart flutter. He also stumbled slightly on a tree branch, something he _never _did.

He quickly steadied himself and hurried on, picking up his pace, his cheeks burning.

He thought he could hear Tenten giggling softly behind him.

-X-

The darkness passed, and the sun soon rose, filtering through the trees with light, as Team Gai ploughed on relentlessly. They travelled at around the same pace, Gai in the lead, followed by Lee, then Tenten, and last Neji, using his Byakugan to scout the surroundings.

"I don't like this," he finally muttered.

Tenten and Lee turned to him, slowing down slightly till they were alongside him. They'd picked up the tone of his voice, and looked worried.

"What's wrong, Neji?" Lee asked.

"The enemy?" Tenten queried, slightly panicked.

"No. Just the opposite," Neji said, "I can't sense their presence at all."

"Huh?" Lee furrowed his thick brows.

"It's strange, since they used such a high level jutsu just to delay us."

"Well then…" Lee began uncertainly.

"Don't you think-" Tenten started to say, but Neji cut her off.

"It _was _a trap," he said, almost reading her mind, "And we fell right into it."

They travelled for another hour, following Pakkun's lead, until they finally reached the edge of the forest.

There was a towering rock face across from them, with two red pillars and a seal. It was surrounded by water.

They landed together on the water, crouched, barely making a splash.

"Is this it?" Gai asked, as the four of them straightened up, staring solemnly ahead.

"Yes," Pakkun replied from Lee's shoulder, "Gaara is behind that stone."

He pointed with his small paw at the rock face.

"Looks like they have a barrier set up," Gai mused, and Neji silently agreed, staring at the tag on the stone wall.

"What should we do?" Tenten asked.

"Let's smash our way in!" Lee suggested enthusiastically.

"No!" Gai said firmly, suddenly turning around.

Neji did as well, sensing a chakra presence. His Byakugan was deactivated, but he could sense four chakras making their way rapidly towards them.

Three were quite familiar.

The four of them turned around, and Gai smiled slightly, as a silver-haired man landed in front of them.

"Late as usual, Kakashi," he said, almost teasingly.

Neji knew Gai was just _thrilled _at the fact that they had beaten Kakashi's team to the destination.

Kakashi was unfazed.

"Well… we ran into some trouble along the way," he said coolly.

"Naruto! Sakura-san!" Lee cried, lighting up, as two shinobi landed in front of them, along with an old woman with short purple hair.

"Kakashi, you weren't talking about _me _were you?" the old woman asked, and Kakashi shook his head, looking amused.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, his voice unusually hoarse.

_There's something different about him, _Neji realized, noticing the darkened marks on his cheeks, and his eyes, which were blazing red instead of their usual blue color. Naruto seemed quite upset as well, rather than his usual cheery self. His teeth were bared, and he was scowling darkly.

"Naruto!" Neji said in surprise.

"You guys were a bit quicker than us," Sakura conceded, breaking off the 'ego-clash' between Gai and Kakashi. Though really, it was just Gai. Kakashi probably didn't even care.

"Whose this elderly woman?" Tenten asked politely, nodding to the purple-haired lady.

"Oh! This is the Sand Village's Elder Consultant, Chiyo-sama," Sakura said smiling.

"Pleased to meet you," Chiyo croaked cheerfully.

"Now then, shall we do this, Kakashi?" Gai asked challengingly.

"Yeah…" Kakashi agreed easily.

"Neji," Gai said, nodding at him.

"Byakugan," Neji said, activating his dojutsu. He scanned the inside of the cave behind the rock, narrating what he was seeing.

"The inside is rather wide and spacious," Neji relayed, "But…"

"What?" Gai asked.

"But I can't get a very good image of what's inside… it seems as if there are people inside there…" Neji muttered, straining his eyes.

"Neji!" Naruto shouted suddenly, grabbing his shoulder, "Is Gaara there?"

Naruto shook him.

"What's happening to Gaara?" he demanded roughly.

"Wait!" Neji snapped, pushing him off, "I'm searching for him now!"

He searched, attempting to make out figures from the black and white shapes. There seemed to be some kind of a statue, with hands clawed upwards, from what he could make out. There were figures standing on it, but none of them seemed to resemble Gaara.

Neji finally caught sight of him – he was lying on the ground, perfectly still, as if dead, but he couldn't be sure. Then his attention was drawn to something horrible, something monstrous and eerie.

It was a large bulbous eyeball protruding from the stone. It's lid slowly shut, followed by the lids of a few other similar eyeballs next to it.

"Neji! Gaara!" Naruto was shaking him, as Neji stared on, shocked.

"Wh-what is that?" he whispered, his heart lurching uncomfortably.

He'd never seen anything that grisly – surely some unspeakably terrible jutsu.

What were the Akatsuki _doing?_

"Neji!" Naruto cried, shaking him again, and Neji quickly snapped back, dispelling his dojutsu.

He blinked, breathing heavily, still stunned by what he'd seen.

"What was it?" Naruto demanded, but Neji didn't answer.

"What was it?" Sakura asked as well, sounding worried.

"It's – hard for me to explain," Neji muttered, feeling Tenten's worried gaze on him.

"Which means," Tenten murmured, but then fell silent. She knew Neji; he never got scared. And if he'd reacted so strongly, it was probably better they didn't ask him what he'd seen. He wouldn't be able to explain it too well himself. Tenten glanced at Lee.

"Which means we'll probably have to see it for ourselves, doesn't it?" Lee finished, understanding.

"In which case," Gai said, placing a hand on Lee's shoulder, "I'll keep it short and simple."

He somersaulted backwards a few times, before he landed a good fifty meters from the rock surface, and crouched in ready position.

"Move back," Tenten muttered, and she and Lee stepped away.

Neji felt a glove-covered hand slip through his, tugging him to the side.

Tenten's touch calmed his jumping nerves. She soon let go, and he missed the contact.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Gai roared as he charged at the rock, his hand pulled back.

SLAM!

"Take that!" Gai shouted, punching the rock with extreme force.

The entire rock face vibrated, but only a few rocks clattered down, falling into the water with a splash.

"A barrier, huh?" Gai muttered, retracting his hand and leaping back to his team.

"What do we do?" Lee asked.

"First, we have to remove the barrier, Lee," Gai responded.

"How?" Tenten asked.

"And we have to figure out just what kind of barrier it is," Sakura added.

"Yeah," Gai nodded, "Okay. First we have to figure out what kind of barrier it is, Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded in response, surveying the rock face through one half-lidded eye.

"How do you see it?" Chiyo asked.

"It's a five-seal barrier," Kakashi observed, and Chiyo nodded.

"I agree."

"A five-seal barrier?" Naruto asked, confused.

"This five-seal barrier is made by placing five 'Forbidden' seals in five different places," Kakashi explained, "There's one forbidden seal in front of us, and four others somewhere else."

"How do we remove them?" Neji asked, with a sinking feeling.

_This might just mean we have to all split up…_

"If you don't remove all five seals at the same time, you can't remove the barrier," Kakashi said, confirming his fear.

"They have to be removed at the same time no matter what, right?" Sakura asked.

"That's right," Kakashi repeated, "If it isn't done at the same time, the barrier can't be removed. That's how it's set up."

_Five barriers. Eight shinobi. They can send us in pairs of three, and leave Gai and Kakashi for one each, _Neji calculated mentally, while Kakashi and Gai spoke.

_I'll go with Tenten, so that I can make sure she's safe… Lee can probably go with Naruto – or Sakura. And the other, with Chiyo-sama. She doesn't look very strong, and Sakura's always been kind of weak, so it's better they have either Naruto or Lee with either of them._

It made logical sense, and that way, he wouldn't have to be separated from Tenten. Neji didn't know why, but the idea gave him an uneasy feeling. There was danger, lurking around. Akatsuki. He couldn't lose sight of her.

"So where are they?" Naruto was asking, "The other four?"

"Neji," Kakashi turned to him.

"I know," Neji muttered, activating his dojutsu again, "Byakugan!"

He searched the area around them for a while, before his eyes caught sight of the seals, one by one.

"Found them," he muttered, mentally taking note of the distances.

"Neji! Where are they?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"One's on top of a boulder, about five hundred meters northeast of here," Neji said, "The second one is on a tree trunk in a gorge – three fifty meters between south and southeast. The third one is on a cliffside, six hundred meters to the northwest. And the last one is in a forest – almost eight hundred meters southwest of here. There are four of them."

"In which case, they're pretty far away," Sakura observed, "What's the signal going to be?"

_She has a point, _Neji realized, _how else will we all be able to pull them off together…_

Gai was rummaging in his bag, before he pulled out some familiar looking pieces of equipment.

"These wireless radios can cover those distances," he said.

"Wireless radios, huh?" Naruto seemed excited.

Neji remembered even Tenten and Lee had been, when they'd used them the previous mission, after he'd first gotten Jounin.

"I see," Chiyo said, and Gai shot her a thumbs-up and beaming smile, his teeth twinkling.

"So," Gai directed, "We'll get directions from Neji and find those seals."

He tossed a radio set at Lee, then Neji, and then Tenten.

_No, _Neji realized, suddenly growing tense, _he's going to split us up…_

But it was a mission, and no matter how much it stressed him to be away from Tenten, Neji knew he couldn't say anything. Gai was his sensei, despite the ranking, and would always be superior.

_What about Kakashi's squad? They're not entirely incompetent. Couldn't they go find one of the seals, and let Tenten come with me?_

Neji knew Tenten wasn't weak. He knew she could hold her ground well in battle. But for some reason, his emotions were dictating his reason, and at that time he would have preferred that she stay with _him._

"We will remove the four seals in the surrounding areas," Gai was saying, as he adjusted the settings of his radio, "If this is a race against the clock, then my team's the quickest."

He shot Kakashi yet another refulgent grin and thumbs-up, and Neji saw Tenten roll her eyes as she fastened her own radio.

Neji could detect the pride in Gai's voice, and though he was against the idea of splitting, there was sense in what Gai was saying.

They needed to break the seals as soon as possible, and they were pretty far away. None of the other four were as fast as Gai, Lee, Tenten and himself. It made sense. And Team Kakashi would be needed to break the main seal and enter the hideout, confronting the Akatsuki.

"I'm counting on you!" Naruto said.

"Okay! Lee will head towards the forest in the southwest," Gai decided, "It's the furthest away, and Lee is the fastest on our team."

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee asserted.

"Neji will head northeast to the boulder," Gai continued.

"I can handle that," Neji nodded, adjusting his radio settings.

"And Tenten will head towards the one in the south – south-east," Gai said.

"Got it!" Tenten agreed, adjusting her earphones.

_Not too bad, _Neji realized, quickly calculating the distance, _I'll be about 578 meters away from her. That'll mean it'll take me a little under a minute to reach her, at my fastest…_

"I'll take the cliff in the northwest. I'm positive that will be the most difficult one since it's in the trickiest location," Gai concluded.

"What's your frequency?" Kakashi asked, and Neji could hear his voice crackling through his earphones.

"It's one seventy-four," Gai answered.

"Copy that," Kakashi replied after twiddling with the knob of his radio a bit longer.

Suddenly, there was a deafening, ear-splitting screech emanating from Neji's earphones.

"TESTING! CAN EVERBODY HEAR ME?"

It was Lee's voice, and Neji thought his eardrums would burst.

"Aaargh!" wailed Tenten, flinching and covering her ears.

"Ugh!" Neji grunted, grabbing his head, which seemed to be ringing.

Gai looked ready to pass out, as did Kakashi.

_That damn moron will never learn how to use these…_

"Lee!" Tenten moaned, though thankfully, she had the sense _not _to yell into her microphone, "Your microphone is up too loud!"

"MY SINCERE APOLOGIES!" Lee burst out, sounding genuinely apologetic, though his voice was still overly loud, torturing their poor ears some more.

"Lee – the – the – mike!" Gai choked, pointing at the knob.

Lee finally got the point, and turned the knob, reducing his volume to something more normal.

"I'm sorry guys," he said in a quieter voice, and Neji, Tenten, Gai and Kakashi all heaved sighs of relief.

"Team," Gai called, and the trio assembled before him, forming a circle.

"My wireless settings are good to go," Tenten announced, after fiddling with her own for a few seconds.

"Yeah, mine are set too," Neji replied, before meeting her eyes as she stood across from him.

Tenten just smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry," she mouthed across at him, and he nodded.

"Take care," he mouthed back.

It was fortunate that Gai and Lee were too preoccupied with their radios to witness this exchange, or the longing looks which accompanied it, though Neji thought he saw Sakura smiling slightly, from the back of his head.

"Okay! Team Gai!" Gai boomed, bending forward and sticking his hand down, the other hand clenched in a fist.

Neji and Tenten both made exasperated noises, though Lee soon followed suite, sticking his hand out, laying his palm on the back of Gai's hand.

Gai made a loud sound, turning expectantly towards Tenten, who recoiled, looking rather embarrassed.

Gai prodded her on, still making that infuriating noise.

Neji wanted to Jyuuken him badly, at that moment.

"Um…" Tenten hesitated for a moment, but Gai glared at her manically until she finally relented.

"Okay, okay," Tenten muttered, resting her hand on Lee's bandaged one.

"Traitor," Neji mouthed across at her, though she just rolled her eyes, looking rather helpless.

_Just do it already or they're never going to let us go, _her expression seemed to say.

He scowled.

Tenten wasn't _supposed _to cave in to the green beasts and their ridiculous ways!

Besides, they hadn't done the little 'hand-motivation-thing' in years. Not since they were _genin._

_I'm a Jounin, _Neji thought, _I am too mature for this puerile nonsense!_

But Gai was glaring at him expectantly at well, and though Neji stared back frigidly, neither of them stopped for a while. It became a clash of egos, and after one desperate look from Tenten, Neji finally relented as well, placing his hand on top of hers.

_It was only so I could touch her, in some way, _he convinced himself. His dignity had dropped quite a bit, and that was the only compensation – feeling her cool, smooth fingers under his.

Neji squeezed, ever so slightly, and he saw her blush.

"Hahahaha!" Gai was laughing, "Alright, Team Gai! Fight with the full power of youth! Attack!"

"Yeah!" Lee chanted with Gai, though Neji and Tenten both kept silent, feeling extremely stupid and extremely mortified.

"Attack!"

"Yeah!"

"Attack!"

"Yeah!"

"ATTACK!"

"YEAH!"

"And one more for good luck!" Gai continued with gusto, "ATTACK! Aaand… SCATTER!"

And then they were off, leaping away in different directions.

It took a little over a minute for Neji to reach his destination, a large boulder in the middle of a grassy field. With his Byakugan he saw that Tenten had reached hers as well, and was crouched near a tree. There was a stream next to where she was standing, and he could hear the faint but distinct gurgling of water in his earphone.

Neji surveyed the boulder. There was a seal placed right in the middle.

"This is Neji," he spoke into his mike, "Ready and in position."

"Got mine too," Tenten's voice said in response.

"I've found mine as well," Gai's voice said, panting slightly, "I'll be there in a minute."

There was a pause, and then Lee's voice was heard, sounding rather uncertain.

"Hey, uh, Neji…" Lee began, but Neji cut in, understanding.

"I know," he said, his Byakugan gaze finding Lee's form, which was standing, confused, amidst a forest.

"It's a little bit to the south," he directed Lee, watching the boy's movements, "A bit more… okay, it's there. Look up!"

"Okay! I have it!" Lee's voice was soon heard crowing joyously, "Thanks Neji! This is Lee, in position!"

"Kakashi?" Gai asked over the radio, "How are things there?"

"Ready when you are," Kakashi's voice drawled, "We go in with button hook entry…"

"Okay everyone!" Gai's voice boomed on the mike, "Remove the seals on the count of three! Let's go – one! Two! Three!"

Neji ripped off his seal with ease, and heard Kakashi shout out 'Sakura!' over the microphone.

He could faintly here Sakura shouting, and seconds later, there was a loud, rumbling sound, and then a crash.

Neji could hear it through the mike, but even without it.

_Did Sakura manage to break that wall by herself? _Neji wondered.

It seemed implausible. He'd always seen her as weak. But then again, if Tenten's idolized Tsunade had really been training her, it was possible…

"Looks like it went well," Gai spoke up.

Neji surveyed the ground ahead of him, slightly startled, when the grassy area seemed to rise up, forming some kind of shape.

"Huh?" he heard Tenten's surprised gasp, accompanied with the sound of splashing water.

"That's –" Lee began, but broke off, voicing similar disbelief, and Neji surmised that something similar was happening with the both of them too. He scanned over her with his Byakugan, and saw that a rippling figure was emerging from the water.

"Neji," Gai's voice crackled over the radio, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing right now?"

Neji shifted his gaze to where Gai was. Indeed, the rock seemed to be expanding outwards, forming something.

"Yes," Neji confirmed, "The same thing is happening here."

"Tenten what about you?" Gai asked.

"Yes," Tenten said, "Same on my end."

"I see some kind of form here," Lee noted, "It sprang up as soon as I removed the tag."

"I figured as much," Gai's voice responded gravely.

There were more splashing sounds from Tenten's end, before Neji heard her voice again, trembling slightly.

"What the – what is it?" she asked.

"Probably some kind of enemy trap," Lee guessed.

"I see that," Neji heard Gai say, but he was now preoccupied with the figure that stood in front of him.

Tall. Fair-skinned. Muscular, well-built, clad in loose black and white robes. The figure had long, dark hair and chiseled features that were eerily familiar. And his eyes – those same white eyes, tinged with mauve, the veins protruding around them.

It was Neji himself – or rather a clone of Neji himself.

His gaze flicked a few hundred meters away, where he saw two Tenten's standing across from each other. He could barely tell the difference between them, except for the fact that one of them (most likely the real one) was backed up against a tree, her body tense, and the other was standing straight-backed on the river water.

"So that's what the game is…" Tenten mumbled into the mike.

"Formidable indeed," Lee said, though he sounded determined, "I accept then."

_Me too, _Neji thought, sliding into his Hyuuga fighting stance.

To his surprise, the clone across him mimicked his actions, perfectly.

_This is going to be harder than I thought, _Neji realized, with growing trepidation.

He thought of Tenten's clone, which would undoubtedly be equipped with thousands of deadly weapons. Though Tenten was an expert at fighting with weapons, Neji was pretty sure her clone would be as well.

He resisted the urge to tell her to be careful over the mike – it wouldn't be necessary.

He had his own opponent to face now. And it would certainly be a tricky fight.

After all, nothing is more difficult than fighting yourself.

-X-

_**~*Omake*~**_

-X-

"Alright, boys," Gai whispered, "Tenten's got the female springs covered. We must survey the male springs carefully. However, we must give the impression that we are merely here for a warm bath, nothing else. But keep your eyes alert, and Neji, keep that Byakugan activated!"

"I'm _not _activating my Byakugan in a hot-spring," Neji said firmly, crossing his arms over a bathrobe-clad chest. Lee and Gai were wearing towels, and Tenten was (thankfully) in another room altogether.

They were on a spy mission. Their target was a couple, who had chosen this opportunity to unwind at the hotsprings. Hence Team Gai, to Neji's annoyance and Lee's delight, would also be doing the same.

For obvious reasons, Tenten was in the female springs, spying on their female target, whereas the three male members were spying on the man.

"Why not?" Lee asked obliviously, and Neji glared at him.

"We're in a bathhouse, Lee," Neji seethed, "And I don't _want _to see through walls."

"A fair point, young Neji," Gai conceded, "And very honorable. I know many young men – like my rival Kakashi for one – would probably jump at the chance to peek on naked women!"

He shot Neji a bright smile and a thumbs-up.

Neji just snorted in disgust.

"Let's just get this done with," he muttered, scowling.

-X-

"Ah! This is so youthful!" Lee said happily, sinking into the steaming water, an expression of content on his face, "Isn't it refreshing, Neji?"

"Hn," Neji grunted, looking away.

For one thing, he felt extremely _uncomfortable _sharing springs with a bunch of half-naked men. Especially when Gai and Lee were two of these half-naked men.

Hyuuga never usually used hot springs. Each of them had their _own _private bathtubs with Jacuzzis which could function as the same.

His white eyes darted around the room, attempting to seek out their target through the steam.

Neji finally found him, the same bulky, redhead, resting on the side of the pool, his grey eyes darting around nervously.

Then slowly, cautiously, he stood up, quickly exiting the spring and disappearing behind a pair of wooden doors.

"Damnit," Neji cursed, "Byakugan!"

He did it automatically, without thinking, forgetting his initial reason of refusing to use his dojutsu in a hot spring. He was focused on the mission, and he _needed _to see what their client was doing behind closed doors.

Neji was disgusted to find the man crouching outside a fence, peeping into a small hole.

_Pervert, _Neji thought to himself, shaking his head in disgust.

The man was spying on the women in the adjoining hotsprings.

Neji looked away – or he _would _have, at once.

But unfortunately, that didn't stop him from seeing one small thing.

After all, the Byakugan could see through fences, and stone walls.

He saw a young women – who looked strikingly familiar in fact – climbing out of the hot spring.

There was a towel around her body, but it didn't hide much.

Long, slim, toned arms and legs, beautiful bare shoulders, a slender neck, the hint of a cleavage where the fluffy towel hugged the curves of her chest…

And Neji found he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Rivulets of water streamed down her body, and there was something _so _familiar about her proportions, her lightly tanned skin… she had long brown hair that hung dripping wet against her back, plastered to the sides of her face, as she straightened her towel, before looking up.

_What?_

Neji gasped, sinking a few inches into the steaming water.

Brown bangs covered her forehead, and she had bright brown eyes, and features that were just _too _familiar.

Neji felt as if he'd been hit by a bolt of lightning, and immediately crossed his legs underwater, hoping Gai and Lee wouldn't notice his - problem.

His normally pale face turned bright red, and he felt hot all over, most of the blood in his body rushing to his lower regions. In fact, with the amount he was blushing, his face held an uncanny resemblance to his cousin Hinata.

_Is that? Is it - _Neji wondered mentally, head reeling in shock, and a flood of hormones.

It was Tenten – but she was naked, except for a towel – and her hair was blissfully loose, and long, and Neji had never seen it like that before – and she was _wet, _and he could see curves that were usually hidden by her loose clothes.

And Neji liked the sight. Though he'd always harbored a condescending and disdainful attitude towards perverts, though he'd always been honorable – he couldn't help but ogle at his gorgeous, _hot _teammate – for a few seconds – before he snapped back to his senses, and turned away, flushing horribly, his heart pounding.

"Is there something wrong, Neji?" Lee asked worriedly, but Neji just shook his head numbly, and climbed out of the hotsprings.

He needed a shower. A _cold _shower.

-X-

"Hey guys," Tenten said cheerfully, when she met her team for dinner.

She was dressed in her usual garb, completely _covered, _her hair bound back into its trademark buns.

"Hello Tenten!" Lee greeted warmly, "Wasn't that a refreshing experience?"

"Yes it was," Tenten agreed, smiling at Neji, "Did you like it, Neji?"

Neji (who had been gazing at her, unable to stop) turned his head away, not meeting her eyes.

"Yeah…" he muttered, his face flushing as he remembered that glorious, _glorious _image of his teammate in the hotsprings.

Said teammate was standing across from him, a concerned expression across her face.

"Are you alright, Neji?" Tenten asked, sounding worried.

"I'm fine," Neji grunted, mentally cursing, and wondering _how _he was going to survive with _her _on his team any longer. "Let's just eat..."

-X-

_Author's note –_

_Cliffhanger… or not. Since you all know what's going to happen anyways! =P Though the omake was fun writing. Each of the 'Shipuuden' chapters will have an omake. This one was inspired by the omake where Karin (thatlittleslut) tries seducing Sasuke in the hotsprings. Gr. Though that omake bugged me, it also inspired a NejiTen one ;) _

_I hope you liked it! Please review! =) Please! _

_Special thanks to those of you who reviewed the last few chapters. I really appreciate it!_

_Dali-chan510, Midnight Insomniac, Fake Bliss, ayumwu, Tania, the dishy fishy, BlueWolfAngel2, SuzuGamerGirl, HT, tenji, Maki-chan, Madame Rain, TwIrLiNgInAiR, Kootie Bomb, Taiga-tan1000, Hitomi Hyuuga, , VampireKunoichi14, Jing-Mei, Morbidly Bored, Tatjana, irukandji, Toboe LoneWolf, Aeraqua, Helga4ever, Susan Dreamer, ELunamoon, .1, Kazuya RandomAuthor, Faraway Dawn, nadja, Monkey Heart, Chocochip Haruka, La Nuit Noire, Senka Hitomi and Tenji fan – THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR WONDERFUL REVIEWS! They really brightened up my day, and inspired me to write!_

_I'll try updating soon, but I can't promise as I'm inundated with work._

_Much love,_

_xx_

_HighQueen_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer – I don't own Naruto_

-X-

**Neji Gaiden – Part 4 Continued**

-X-

Neji stared at the figure ahead of him – a perfect clone of himself.

"A shinobi squad is always small in number... a team of either three or four," Gai said over the radio.

"But at least five people are required in order to seal a five seal barrier," Neji pointed out, carefully surveying the clone in front of him. It hadn't moved, not yet, but had adopted the same fighting stance as he had.

"Which means a basic squad is never going to cut it! All you can do is wait for another team to show up," Tenten pointed out, her voice muffled over the radio.

"The barrier has slowed us down considerably," Lee's voice said, "That alone was enough to delay us."

"And on top of that, they rigged the barrier with a trap, should anyone succeed," Gai continued.

"A replica of the person who removes the tag," Neji spoke into his mike, eyes narrow.

This _would _be a tricky fight. And unlike with Kisame, this time he was alone. Though it was somewhat reassuring having his teammates on the radio, and being able to hear their voices – this enemy was his and his alone.

He hadn't fought completely solo since the fight with Kidomaru when he was genin.

"Take that!" Tenten's voice was heard amidst a clash of metal.

Her fight had begun, Neji surmised. She'd taken out her weapons.

"So they've appeared to stop us now that the barrier is down," she added, and Neji could hear more clangs of metal and splashes of water from her end.

"In other words we can't offer Naruto and the others support – unless we defeat ourselves... is that the situation?" Lee was asking.

"Exactly right, Lee," Gai's voice boomed.

"They split up a four-man squad with their barrier and made sure we'd be tied up here indefinitely. Very smart of them," Neji mused aloud, now circling his clone, who was doing the same.

"Maybe," Tenten's voice agreed, "But we can't just sit here admiring their work!"

"Come!" Lee shouted enthusiastically over the mike, "Let us fight!"

Neji sprang forward, attacking his clone with a few palm strikes. The clone retaliated impressively, batting away every single one.

_Damn, he's as fast as me, _Neji realised, as he spun around, kicking the clone, who blocked the kick, leapt over his leg, and jabbed forward with his hand.

_It's like he can predict my every move!_

They continued for a while, and from his earphones, Neji could hear Gai's loud shouting, and the ring of metal from Tenten's battle. Lee was yelling as well.

"Huh?" Gai breathed loudly, "Well, I'd expect no less from a copy of me. He's good."

Neji dodged another palm strike from his clone, lashing out and spinning around.

"They don't just look the same," he muttered, "They possess the same abilities."

"Aaargh!" he heard Tenten cry, accompanied by more clinks of metal, "So they're armed the same as we are too, huh?"

"So everything - about them – is the same then! That – makes them even more – of a worthy opponent!" Lee panted, though Neji could hear the determination in his voice.

They fell silent after that, each one focusing on his or her battle.

Neji was comforted by the intermittent shouts from Lee and Gai's end as they attacked, and the incessant clashing and scraping sounds of metal. It meant that his teammates were still fighting, and it bolstered his confidence as he fought his own clone.

-X-

Neji didn't know how long the fight dragged on for, but he had never been so evenly matched.

Every palm strike was deflected, and chakra bursts were intercepted. His clone dodged most of his attacks, moving with the same fluid grace as he did.

"Gai? Do you read me?" Kakashi's voice buzzed over the radio, sounding faint, "The enemy has split up. We're gonna need a hand. Return immediately."

Gai's heavy breathing could be heard clearly through the earphones.

"Hah...hah... I don't think we can – hah...hah... we've been caught...hah... in an enemy trap..."

_Damnit, _Neji cursed mentally as his clones fingers connected with a chakra point, sending a sudden jolt of pain up his arm, and then numbness.

"We need a little more time Kakashi," Gai heaved, speaking quickly, "Sign off..."

"Kaiten!" Neji shouted finally, being forced to rely on his heavier jutsu.

When he spun into his Kaiten, his opponent surprisingly did the same, and it was infuriating. He spun and spun and spun, ejecting chakra, feeling almost stupid, as he heard the abrasive sound of whirring chakra melding into whirring chakra, as two Kaiten spheres collided.

When he finally stopped, he realised with a sinking feeling, that he had wasted his chakra for no reason.

His clone hadn't even been charred.

_Same appearance. Same chakra. Same jutsu. Damnit, this is difficult._

"This is almost as if we're fighting a mirror image of ourselves here!" Tenten's voice cried.

There was a loud ripping crash after that, and Neji felt a bolt of panic. Lee's voice flooded his ears thereafter, quelling his doubts.

"If it were a mirror, we could just shatter it!" Lee shouted, "Yah! Leaf hurricaaane!"

There were loud thumps from Lee's end, followed by a screeching metallic sound from Tenten's. Neji's clone charged at him again, and he had to flip backwards to avoid the blow, instinctively spinning into the Kaiten again.

"I do not believe this will be easy," Lee was saying.

_Really? _Neji wondered sarcastically, attempting an air palm attack. He succeeded in smashin a rock, and cursed, as his clone dodged, yet again.

-X-

The battle persisted, and Neji was growing tired, his breaths coming shorter. His chakra was being steadily used up – and yet, his clone seemed as alert and as fast as before.

The ground was littered with at least ten Kaiten spheres – mass wastages of chakra, but the clone had pushed Neji till he'd had no choice.

He panted heavily, pausing for a reprise. His clone's white eyes gazed coldly at him from across the field, its face blank. Neji knew he rarely displayed emotion – but he never had such an utterly blank expression. The clone's face was lifeless, and yet it moved and attacked with a deadly precision and skill. It was chilling.

"Neji!" Gai's voice crackled over the radio, "Neji, can you hear me? What's going on in the enemy hideout?"

Neji shifted his gaze away from the clone, but the moment he did so, it sprang forward, an arm thrust out. Neji realised too late, and flew back, as a palm connected with his chest.

"Hang on," he gasped, scrambling back up, "Just give me a minute – I'll check!"

He air-palmed the clone once, and then twice. A huge boulder shattered; still he'd manage to hold him off.

Neji quickly scanned over the hideout – it was littered with large cracks, and what looked like broken puppets. His eyes finally found Sakura and Chiyo – standing, thankfully, scratched but alive.

"It looks like it's been settled, the fights over," he relayed quickly, his eyes shifting to where Tenten was fighting.

He could hear the clash of metal, and whirring sounds, and with his Byakugan he saw that both Tenten and her clone had taken to the air, and had unfurled their scrolls.

He whipped his eyes back to his own battle, where his clone was charging yet again. He ducked down, avoiding a kick, and spun his leg out from under, trying to trip his clone.

More palm strikes, and hits.

"Aaaaah!" Tenten's voice suddenly shrieked, and there was a loud explosion from her end.

_Damnit, Tenten! _Neji called out mentally, panicking and losing focus.

SLAM!

His clone managed another hit, closing off three chakra points, and sending him flying yet again.

Still, Neji didn't care, his heart thumping painfully against his chest, his fists clenched.

"Did you say the fight's over?" Tenten's voice cracked through the radio, and Neji felt immensely relieved, feeling oddly light-headed. That had scared him.

"Well who won?" Tenten was asking, and Neji leapt back to his feet, charging at his clone.

"Is Sakura – ugh! – Sa-Sakura?" Lee attempted, his voice punctuated by gasps, "Is she okay?"

"Sakura's alright. I see her and Chiyo-sama walking out," Neji assured him, rolling out of the way to avoid a blast of air sent in his direction.

"Excellent," Gai rasped, "That means they beat the Akatsuki swine."

"I would expect no less from Sakura-san," Lee said proudly, and Neji suspected he was either crying or striking a pose mid-battle.

"Unfortunately," Neji felt deemed to tell his teammates as he ducked yet another blow, retaliating with a flurry of fingers, "That doesn't mean our problems are over."

"Whaddya mean?" Gai grunted, and Neji heard a series of loud thumps from his end.

"There were two Akatsuki in the cave," Neji said, "Even though one of them has been defeated this jutsu is still in effect – ugh," he choked when his clone managed to land yet another hit on him, and fought back hand to hand.

The clone was beating him back, and he found it difficult to speak.

"Which means - ugh – or else... which means..." he tried to say, his arms burning with the impact of the strikes.

"The jutsu can't be broken even if the one who cast it is beaten!" Tenten finished for him.

"It's a definite possibility," Neji gasped, managing to force his clone to retreat with a well-placed kick.

"Huh?" Tenten asked, sounding preoccupied.

BOOM! BOOM!

"Ah!" her voice cried out, and Neji's heart clenched again, relaxing slightly only once he heard her labored, but steady breaths over his radio.

"That just means we'll have to defeat these clones – on our own!" Lee declared, "Aaaaargh! Uh! Yeah!"

Neji could hear the hits from Lee's end, and hoped that it was Lee who was doing the attacking. Gai was breathing heavily.

Neji straightened up, falling back into his Hyuuga fighting stance, as his clone regarded him coldly.

_Just as I feared..._

"Ugh," Tenten panted, "How can this be? How can these – guys be even – stronger than they were before?"

There were more shouts from Lee, before the boy responded, his voice fatigued.

"It's true – if anything... his blows – have even more force – than they did before!"

"No," Gai croaked, "Our enemies aren't getting stronger. That's not it."

"Yes," Neji said, comprehension dawning on him, "The fact is – that we're getting weaker."

"We've gotten weaker?" Tenten's voice was frantic, "But why would that happen, Neji? Why?"

"Yes!" Lee asked, sounding just as panicked, "Why do we grow weaker and they do not?"

"It makes sense when you think of it," Neji explained, his chest heaving, "It was that jutsu. By breaking those seals, we created clones of ourselves. Not only identical to us in appearance, but possessing all the physical abilities that we possessed at the moment the seals were broken. That's why defeating them is so difficult. Of course we are only made of flesh and blood, unlike them, and we grow weaker as the fight continues. We get less precise in our movements and in executing our jutsu."

"And the weaker we get, the stronger they seem," Lee said quietly.

"We get tired and they don't. So basically, the stronger this fight drags on, the bigger our disadvantage is!" Tenten concluded, sounding extremely worried.

"That's about it," Neji replied gravely.

"No way!" Tenten cried, distressed.

Neji wanted to reassure her – but he had no words to say. He was equally worried himself. This fight didn't seem to be going their way at all, for any of them.

"Well – if that is the case – the only thing to do is not let this fight drag on!" Lee affirmed, "We must beat them now!"

There was a sound of breaking rocks, followed by Gai's shout.

Momentarily distracted, Neji found himself being pushed through the air, and being slammed into a rock with full force.

"Aaaargh!" he cried out, pain shooting through his limbs.

"No!" he heard Tenten shriek, followed be a scraping metallic sound.

She shrieked again, and then there was a loud splash.

"Aaaaah!" Lee was groaning, sounding as if he were in pain, "Ugh..."

_Tenten! Lee! _Neji wondered frantically, resisting the urge to look over them with his Byakugan.

His clone approached him menacingly, standing over him as he struggled to stand.

"Ugh," Gai grunted, "Damn yooou!"

There was an odd, gurgling sound from Tenten's end, garbling up the sound in the radio.

_Damnit! Tenten? _Neji's heart sank – she hadn't fallen into the water, had she?

"Ugh – Sakura – oh!" Lee was choking.

"Lee – are you – what's going on down there?" Gai's voice asked.

"Tenten!" Neji called, worried, "Tenten, are you okay?"

There was no sound, expect for that rushing gurgle.

Then Lee laughed, sounding immensely relieved about something.

_What the hell is up with him? _Neji wondered, _And damnit, Tenten, why aren't you answering?_

"The answer is so simple," Lee cried out joyously, still laughing.

"What do you mean?" Neji asked, standing up as his clone rushed at him.

He heard Tenten exhale, and more gurgling noises, till there was a loud splash, and the gushing sound stopped.

_She's alright, then?_

"I know how to defeat them!" Lee crowed, "It is so obvious!"

"It is?" Gai sounded disbelieving for once, "Really?"

Neji flipped backwards to avoid what could have been a fatal blow from his clone.

"Ugh! Alright, let's hear it then!" he snapped impatiently.

"You really mean it?" Tenten's voice asked, sounding uncertain, "You're not just trying to keep our spirits up?"

_Thank Kami, she is okay. _

Neji heaved a sigh of relief. Hearing _her _voice, had gotten his spirits up, if just a bit.

"No!" Lee persisted, "I have a sure-fire method! Aaargh – we just need – to make ourselves - stronger – then we were – when our clones were created!"

Neji gasped, and he could hear Gai and Tenten's similar reactions.

It made perfect sense – but _how?_

"These clones have the same strength level that we had at the moment we removed the seals! Now do you get it?" Lee insisted, "If we increase our strength levels from what they at that last point in time, it is reasonable to think that we will defeat them!"

"Brilliant deduction, Lee," Gai complimented, sounding more like his old cheery self, "Then again, you're _my _student."

"Tch," Neji rolled his eyes. He could _hear _the glinting of teeth, he swore he could.

"Hold it!" Tenten shouted, and her voice had that similar, incredulous edge that made him smile – as if Lee had just suggested they try scaling the Hokage Monuments without chakra .

"I guess that makes sense but – how are we supposed to make ourselves stronger all of a sudden?" Tenten asked logically.

"Tenten!" Lee shouted exuberantly, "Have you forgotten? The motto we learnt during our training?"

Tenten gasped, and Neji felt as if he'd been struck by lightning.

"Stronger than we were yesterday!" Lee cried dramatically, "Remember? Yeah! It was those words in our hearts – that kept us going – that got us through our darkest hours!"

It made perfect sense, Neji realised, as memories flooded his mind.

_It had been the most gruelling training session ever._

_Laps, push-ups, sit-ups, tree-climbing, sparring – continuously for ten hours at a stretch._

_Neji was on the ground on his fours, coughing, choking and panting heavily. Beside him, Lee and Tenten and Lee were in a similar state._

"_What's the matter?" Gai asked, almost mockingly, "Are you giving up already? The three of you got no further than you did yesterday!"_

_Neji froze at his words, and struggled up. Lee and Tenten did as well._

"_Give up?" Lee sounded shocked, "No!"_

"_We're not going to stop yet!" Neji said decisively, "Not till we beat yesterday's mark!"_

"_That's right! We all have to get stronger!" Tenten added emphatically._

"_Stronger than we were yesterday!" Lee swore, punching the air._

"_Stronger than we were yesterday!" Neji vowed, mimicking his actions._

"_Stronger than we were yesterday!" Tenten affirmed, punching the air as well._

"_Stronger than we were yesterday!" the three of them chanted together – one of the few times Neji and Tenten ever engaged in any form of team moral-boosting – but they had been young, and they were inspired._

_Gai beamed at them, flashing them his trademark 'good guy pose'. _

_That had been the day Tenten first mastered her Shadow Shuriken jutsu._

_The day when Lee finished his Leaf Whirlwind attack._

_The day when Neji managed to double the speed of his Eight Trigram attack._

"Thanks to that training, Tenten, you and I became Chuunin!" Lee declared, his voice full of passion.

_Jounin-in-training, _Neji corrected mentally.

"And Neji became a Jounin!" he went on, "All because we worked hard every day and became better than we were the day before! But are we satisfied with how far we have come? Do we stop now? No! No! NO! That day will never come, when I don't strive to be better than I was – yeah – yesterday! Better than I was an hour ago! Better than I was a minute ago!"

Lee's voice was full of passion, and his passion was contagious.

Neji somehow found the strength returning to his limbs, and he felt his remaining reserves of chakra surge forward.

"Yes, making Jounin meant a lot to me," he admitted, remembering the day, remembering Tenten's reaction and how she'd kissed him on the cheek.

"But I never believed it was my final goal!" he avouched.

_Tenten's still Chuunin. And after she and Lee make Jounin, we have to be an ANBU squad together..._

"And I've no intention of retiring," Gai agreed, "At least not anytime soon!"

"And it's not like I'm ready to give up!" Tenten added, "Not by a long shot! Take _that!_"

Clink! Clink! Clink!

Neji could hear the weapons deflecting each other.

"Yaaaah!" Lee yelled, "Feel this! Feel the full power of youth! Leaf spinning wind!"

Neji whirled around, kicking his clone, slid down and kicked again, quickly getting up and leaping back, sticking a palm out.

"Eight Trigrams, Palm Strike!" he shouted.

"Weapon control – tensasai!" Tenten cried.

"Great leaf flaaash!" Gai roared.

For the next few seconds, Gai and Lee's voices were drowned out from the overwhelming noise that came from Tenten's side. The sound of thousands and thousands of metal weapons, whizzing through the air at lightning speed.

It was the first time she'd used the jutsu, Neji realised, and he could almost picture her in his mind, flying through the air, her scroll unfurled before her and fluttering in the wind.

Neji's own clone was finally hit by the air attack, and crashed into the boulder, before falling face-flat onto the grass.

The whirring and clattering sound gradually faded away, and Neji could hear Gai and Lee panting loudly.

"Alright!" Lee cheered.

"Yes!" Tenten cried happily, and Neji smiled as well as he surveyed his fallen clone.

They had succeeded.

And they had gotten stronger.

-X-

"Congratulations, Team Gai!" Gai's voice was shaking, but whether from pride or exhaustion, Neji couldn't tell. "Now back to the base! Run with the full power of youth!"

He leapt away as once, grass melting into a green blur under him as he sped towards the base. He was tempted to find Tenten, who he could see running parallel to him, just over 200 meters away, but restrained himself. He'd see her soon enough.

Team Gai finally reunited, outside the large rock, which had been shattered, revealing a large cave.

Tenten, Lee and Gai had already reached a few seconds before Neji arrived, and Tenten and Lee seemed to be bickering over something.

"Neji!" Tenten shrieked, her brown eyes lighting up when she caught side of him, and she practically threw herself at him, her arms tight around his waist, burying her head into his chest.

"Tenten," Neji said, feeling stunned at this greeting, as a warm feeling spread through his chest. He allowed her to hug him for a few seconds, his hands patting her back, feeling extremely awkward as Gai and Lee gawked at them.

Tenten had never been the hugging type, and though it had been quite a pleasurable surprise for Neji, he cringed at their expressions.

There would be some form of 'youthful interrogation' after the mission, he was sure of that. And if _they _found out, all hell would break loose.

Tenten quickly let go of him however, flushing, and Gai clapped him on the back, shooting him a dazzling smile.

"As I was just saying to Lee and Tenten, Neji," Gai boomed, "I am _proud _of you three. You've grown incredibly from one fight itself, and that was a most youthful display!"

"Yes! Now we must find that other Akatsuki member!" Lee cried, and Neji nodded, his Byakugan sweeping their surroundings for a few seconds.

"Found him," Neji said, nodding at his teammates, and a second later, they were flying through the trees again.

-X-

They landed in a small clearing, where the man's legs were just visible, peeking outside a large bush.

They landed, quickly taking formation – Gai, Lee, Neji and Tenten, all bent in their fighting stances.

The man stood up rather elegantly, and Neji was shocked to see he had no arms. His red and black Akatsuki cloak was tattered and torn, and ended abruptly where his arms should have been. He had blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, and grey-blue eyes, one of which was almost entirely covered by his bangs.

He regarded them calmly, not looking the least worried.

Then again, he was Akatsuki, and if experience with Kisame had taught them anything, it was that the Akatsuki were insanely powerful.

"Good work, Neji," Gai compliment.

Neji smirked.

"Heh. Child's play, actually," he said easily, and he saw Tenten roll her eyes.

'Show off,' she mouthed at him, and he glared at her, before turning back to the Akatsuki man, who was surveying him with interest.

"I get it," the man said conversationally, "Byakugan. One of the kekkai genkai of the Leaf. Just like the Sharingan, yeah?"

_Better than the Sharingan, _Neji thought immediately.

"You used those eyes of yours to sneak up from my blind spot, hm?" the Akatsuki drawled, and Neji winced at the mention of the word 'blind spot'.

"This is my first time seeing it in person, yeah," the man continued, "I'd be curious to see how it differs from Itachi's Sharingan. But escaping takes precedence at the moment, hm."

"Hah," Gai scoffed, "You're looking at Team Gai here my friend, the number one squad in the Lead. You're not going anywhere!"

He grinned at the Akatsuki, teeth glinting, and the pride in his voice was blatant.

Neji liked it though – the number one squad in the Leaf – it was true, to an extent. All four of them were very powerful, and they had excellent teamwork.

"That is a promise!" Lee asserted, raising his arm, the back of his palm facing the man.

"I hope you're ready," Tenten added challengingly, her hand moving to her scroll, and Neji slid into his fighting stance as well.

The blonde leapt up, and all four of them followed suit.

"Attach formation twenty-three!" Gai yelled, and the four members of Team Gai zipped to trees, spreading out in four different directions.

They'd learnt to coordinate and synchronize their attacks well, and had over thirty 'formations' to use while fighting enemies. It was essential, especially when Tenten used long-range weapons.

Though her aim was perfect, it was essential that Neji, Lee and Gai were out of the way when she chucked her projectiles, so not to hamper her attacks, and to avoid unnecessary injuries.

Neji, Tenten and Lee all zoomed towards Deidara, attacking him alternately with taijutsu.

A kick. A palm thrust. Another kick. A punch. A smack. A slash with a kunai.

They'd jump at him one by one, and in pairs, in threes, and even in fours when Gai joined in, managing to land a few hits.

Yet the Akatsuki was very good, and _very _fast. He managed to dodge or block most of the attacks, and even when Tenten whipped in a few kunai and shuriken to the mix, he impressively managed to parry them using a kunai clutched between his teeth.

Gai signalled to them, before leaping behind a large tree. Understanding, Neji met Tenten and Lee's eyes across the clearing. They nodded.

Neji charged forward first, hitting the blonde with a palm strike.

He dodged by ducking down, but Tenten was ready for him, sliding to the ground and throwing a kunai, which he deflected with the one in his mouth.

This was merely a distraction, however, from Lee, he jumped out from above, smashing his foot downwards.

The Akatsuki just managed to dodge, but this put him in Tenten's range again, and she flung a giant fuuma shuriken at him. It split into four smaller shuriken, and the Akatsuki was forced to climb up a tree to dodge them, and the weapons buried themselves into the trunk, marking the path he had taken.

They'd drawn blood, but hadn't pierced his flesh – of course, that hadn't even been Tenten's intention.

"Severe leaf hurricane!" Gai bellowed, his foot lashing out and he kicked the tree Tenten had lured the man onto.

The man was forced to drop to the ground, and began running again, blood streaming from his mouth where the kunai had cut into his skin.

Lee landed in front of him, in battle pose.

"Here I come!" Lee warned, charging at him, with a flurry of punches and kicks. "Yeah! Ugh! Uh! Yeah!" he shouted, punctuating each blow with a cry, pushing the man into Neji's range.

"Eight Trigrams, Air Palm!" Neji shouted, sending out a blast of air towards the flying Akatsuki and the man was hurled back until he crashed against a tree.

Tenten immediately followed by a barrage of weapons.

Yet, impressively, despite being hammered by the lot of them in turn, the Akatsuki finally managed to gain some leverage, leaping up and fleeing, despite his injuries.

Team Gai were hot in his pursuit, racing after him.

Suddenly, Neji spotted a large white lump, in the clearing below them. The Akatsuki man began to descend.

"He's dropping," Tenten stated.

"We don't know what he's planning. Stay on your guard," Gai warned.

They landed, crouched before him – Lee, then Gai, then Neji and Tenten, slowly standing up.

The man had attached his mouth to the white lump, pulling and tearing at it with his teeth.

He then stood up, and jumped in front of the white lump.

Team Gai immediately took their fighting stances.

The man began chewing on something.

"I think it's about time," he stated, his voice thick, "I revealed my ultimate work of art."

He suddenly started bloating, his body expanding almost comically.

Neji focused on him with his Byakugan, startled when he saw the chakra patterns.

"He's concentrating all of his chakra into one single point!" Neji cried, as the man grew larger and larger. He looked ready to explode. Neji was quite sure he would – literally.

"EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE! IMMEDIATELY!" Neji commanded, before leaping up.

He grabbed Tenten's hand – but she had taken off immediately, and her fingers slipped past his. Lee and Gai had jumped as well, and the four of them sped through the trees.

"ART IS AN EXPLOSION!" the Akatsuki man shouted.

There was a loud boom – and then blazing heat.

Neji could see a gargantuan, blazing fireball behind them. The blast.

He could see four small figures ahead – he identified them as Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura and Chiyo.

Team Gai ran, faster than they ever had. Neji pumped chakra to his legs, feeling the heat increase.

It was futile.

He looked over at Tenten, whose brown eyes were wide in fear. Even Lee and Gai looked terrified.

"We're never going to make it!" Neji shouted, and there was barely even time to think, or to react.

Thoughts flashed through his mind, and he was reminded of being trapped in the water prison. Ironically enough, it was water then, and fire now.

But he barely had time to be scared, as the four of them made their last and final leap together, soaring through the air – for suddenly there came a loud, rushing, whirring noise, along with the noise of a loud explosion and the roaring of flames.

Neji fell to the ground, expected the explosion, wondering how what the _hell _he should do, and where the _hell _was Tenten, and how was he supposed to protect her – but it never came.

There was a sucking noise, and Neji struggled up, wiping the dust from his face, looking around frantically for Tenten.

His eyes locked with hers through the smoke and the dust, and Neji heaved a sigh of relief.

They were safe – but _how?_

He then turned to the source of the noise, and his eyes widened.

The scenery in front of them was convoluted, twisting and spiralling as if it were being sucked into some kind of a vortex.

And then finally, the noise stopped, and the scene shimmered back to normal. There was a large circular crater, and an area of burnt grass – but the explosion had been contained somehow – that fireball had been large enough to blow at least a diameter of three or four miles of the forest! But it had disappeared, and aside from smoke and dust, everyone and everything was unharmed.

Neji blinked.

_What the hell was that!_

He then heard Kakashi mutter something - and then he saw Sakura, supporting Chiyo, and Naruto. Lee and Tenten slowly stood up, followed by Gai.

Kakashi was panting heavily. Suddenly, he toppled over. Naruto caught him.

"Kakashi sensei!" Naruto asked concerned, "Are you alright?"

"I don't get it!" Sakura's voice was high-pitched, "What did you do?"

Kakashi breathed heavily for a few moments before answering, his voice soft.

"Sent – the explosion – off into – a different – dimension."

To say Neji was stunned at hearing this was an understatement. The rest of the ninja seemed to share his bewilderment.

"You – sent it somewhere?" Sakura asked, confused.

_The Sharingan's ocular jutsu, _Neji realised, _I never knew it was that powerful!_

"I'm not sure I understand really," Lee was saying, bemused, "But it seems to me that the enemy has been defeated..."

He turned to Tenten as if to clarify his doubts.

"Tenten do you agree?"

"What the - ?" Tenten protested, as astonished and clueless as the rest of them, "What the hell are you asking me for?"

Kakashi chuckled weakly.

"More importantly - is everybody okay?" he asked.

Two clones of Naruto suddenly appeared, supporting another body – a _limp _body.

Neji recognized it from the bright red hair and the gourd strapped to the back.

It was Gaara's body.

"Sakura," one of the clones croaked, it's voice quavering, "Can you-"

Sakura nodded, understanding.

But it was pointless, Neji realised, his throat drying as he surveyed the body.

There was no chakra. The Kazekage – Gaara – was _dead._

-X-

The next few minutes – or hours – seemed to pass by in a blur to Neji.

He had been exhausted, and he could only remember it in flashes, as he stood with Tenten and Lee, a respectful distance away from the others, as they mourned over Gaara's body.

Neji had never particularly liked the Kazekage – or his sister for that instance.

Though Lee bore him no grudges, Neji did, and had never truly forgiven him for what he'd done during the Chuunin exam. He hadn't been too fond of Gaara's sister Temari, for similar reasons.

When he found out that Gaara had saved Lee, during the disastrous mission to rescue Sasuke, his dislike had decreased. Temari had saved Shikamaru as well, and Leaf and Sand were now strong allies.

Neji's view of Sand was a neutral one however – he wasn't too fond of them due to past history with his teammates, but he didn't dislike them either.

Still, Gaara's death was a remorseful occasion. Neji, Tenten and Lee didn't shed tears like Naruto and Sakura. They didn't have reason to. But they stood, in solemn silence together, watching the events unfold.

Naruto had been the most upset, sobbing and screaming about injustice.

Neji had been too jarred by the previous events to comprehend much, but felt pity for the boy. He had always liked Naruto, and held him in high regard since the Chuunin exams.

And then suddenly, Chiyo had been standing over Gaara, and attempting some sort of insane jutsu which Neji had never considered possible – Kisho Tensei – and Neji had seen chakra flowing from Chiyo into Gaara's dead body.

Not just chakra, but life.

And then Naruto had joined, and then suddenly the places were reversed, and Chiyo was dead, and Gaara was alive, and the Sand siblings had arrived along with other Sand villagers, and it was Sakura who was clutching Chiyo's dead body and sobbing.

It was all rather confusing, and overwhelming – it took some time to sink in, but when it did, Neji found he admired the old lady Chiyo-sama from the Sand quite a lot.

He, Tenten and Lee had been silent most of the time, just watching, but then they walked back to the sand, Gaara supported by Naruto and Kankuro.

Neji stuck to his teammates.

The entire Sand village had gathered awaiting Gaara's return and there was cheering, clapping and celebration.

They didn't join the celebrations, however.

They'd held a funeral for Chiyo, and had been escorted to their rooms, in the Kazekage's tower, where they'd been provided with food.

They all ate together – Team Gai and Team Kakashi and the Sand Siblings – but there wasn't much conversation amongst them, including Lee, which was surprising. They were too tired, too exhausted, and instead focused on wolfing down as much food as was possible.

They soon retired to their respective rooms.

Neji had wanted to say goodnight to Tenten, or at least speak to her – but there was no time. They were all like zombies, and desperately needed rest, and some proper sleep. They had been fighting for at least four days, without proper rest (excepting the four hours nap in the forest) – Team Gai hadn't even rested from their previous mission when Tsunade had sent them out on this one.

So Neji went into the room he shared with Naruto and Lee, and Tenten left with Sakura.

The moment entered, he hit the bed and collapsed, Lee doing the exact same thing on his left.

There'd be time to talk to Tenten... tomorrow...

RIght now he just needed sleep. It had been the most fatiguing – and yet the most thrilling mission in his life.

-X-

Neji awoke at six o clock sharp the next morning, feeling fresher and better rested than he had in over a week. He quickly got ready, revelling in the fact that he could finally have a much-needed shower (he'd been to exhausted the previous night) and relished the hot water as it washed away the grime and soothed the aches in his muscles.

Once he was ready, he sat to meditate, though for once, he found it difficult to focus, his thoughts wandering to the kunoichi on his team.

_Tenten..._

Their feelings were out in the open now, and Neji felt a sense of relief. But also wondered what the next step was – was it a one-time thing? Neji's heart constricted at the thought – to him, Tenten meant much more than that, and he had a feeling it was the same for her. Still, if they became – _intimate – _on a regular basis, would that disrupt the team equilibrium? Most likely not, he reasoned, and then wondered if he should ask her out. Should he ask her on a date? Should has ask her if he could court her? Did he need Hiashi's permission first.

_No, _Neji thought viciously, _I do not need the clan's permission. I will do this of my own free will._

Besides, Hiashi seemed to approve of Tenten anyhow, despite the fact that she possessed no clan of her own.

But what about Gai and Lee? They'd reached an unspoken agreement _not _to tell the Green Beasts, but if they entered a serious relationship, would they want to keep up that deception? Would they want to fool their mentor and best friend about their feelings for one another? Would they want to pretend to the rest of Konoha as well?

Neji's mind rapidly went over all the shinobi rules and regulations. Though shinobi were told not to show emotion during battle or during a mission, nothing was stated about emotion _outside _a mission. There were no rules forbidding intimacy or love between teammates, and many Jounin and ANBU, and three of the five Hokage had married and had children.

_I'll ask Tenten, _he resolved, feeling his stomach flutter, after he considered the matter thoroughly, before resuming his 'meditation'.

He was interrupted, nearly half an hour later, by the loud and rambunctious awakening of both Naruto Uzumaki and Rock Lee, who could prove to be a quite a devastating combination in the morning, when Neji desired nothing but peace and quiet.

"YOSH! I AM FULLY AWAKE NOW! I FEEL REFRESHED AND THE FLAMES OF YOUTH HAVE REKINDLED WITHIN ME!" Lee announced, stretching himself and bouncing out of the bed.

"OH YEAH! ME TOO!" Naruto declared, just as passionately, spurred by Lee's ebullience, "BUT MAN AM I STARVING! I WANT SOME RAMEN, DATTEBAYO!"

"NARUTO, YOU IDIOT!" a grumpy female voice screeched from outside, "SHUT UP! WE'RE TRYING TO SLEEP, DAMNIT!"

Neji smirked slightly, his spirits rising.

At least the morons had managed to wake Sakura, which meant that Tenten would be awake soon as well.

And though the notion was ridiculous, Neji's heart raced at the prospect of seeing her again.

-X-

Neji did meet her, at breakfast, which was a far more cheerful affair than the previous day's dinner. Gai was showing off about his team's achievements in a booming voice to Kakashi, who looked drowsy and utterly disinterested. Lee and Naruto were arguing in boastful tones about something to Sakura, obviously attempting to impress her. The pink-haired girl, who was sandwiched between the two shinobi, looked torn in the middle of wanting to pummel them both to the ground, or escape the situation she was trapped him. Gaara surveyed them with mild amusement, while Kankuro fiddled with his puppet. Tenten sat on Neji's right, chatting with Temari, something which irked the Hyuuga prodigy, who wanted her to talk to _him_.

"No, I haven't seen Team Asuma recently," Tenten was replying to Temari's query, and feeling rather sulky after her nonchalant behaviour (she had wished him a cheerful good morning, but that was about it) Neji decided to take matters into his own hands.

It was barely anything, just his leg brushing hers under the table. It might have been an accident, but it happened again, and Neji smirked slightly, seeing a rising blush on Tenten's face.

Accidents like that never happened with him, and she knew it as well as he did.

A few moments later, Neji felt cool fingers slide through his own from under the table, and suddenly felt a lot more content.

-X-

They left for Konoha just after breakfast, after a solemn visit to Chiyo's grave.

They hit the road – or rather the seemingly endless stretch of sand – almost immediately, giving Neji and Tenten no private time together.

Neji knew they needed to talk – to sort out everything that happened during the mission, to converse properly without the fear of being clobbered to death by a clone or ripped to pieces by the Akatsuki.

It would have to wait till they were back in Konoha, and considering the sluggish pace they were travelling at (due to Kakashi's prolonged exhaustion after the use of his Sharingan techniques) that would take quite a while.

The group trudged on through the sand, not in the best mood, as the harsh rays of the sun beat unrelentingly on their backs. Neji felt the sweat beading off his forehead – it made his loose clothes stick to his skin, and his dark locks damp with sweat – and he hated it.

Naruto and Lee were making a racket as usual, Sakura was griping at them, and he and Tenten followed the trio in silence. Gai lagged a few feet behind, supporting a staggering Kakashi and looking excruciatingly irritated.

Neji almost missed the breakneck pace Gai usually had them travelling at.

Tenten seemed to as well. A few hours into the journey, she finally turned her head over her shoulder, and yelled across at Gai.

"Sensei! Hurry up," Tenten called, "What's taking you so long?"

She turned to Neji, winking, and he smirked back.

If anything, that _might _just work on Maito Gai, who was now shaking slightly, his large eyebrow twitching.

"GAH!" Gai shouted out in frustration, fuelled by his student's comment (one which the man would _not _let pass, at least by Neji's knowledge of him).

He suddenly grabbed Kakashi and flung him high into the air, to the shock of both the flailing man and their respective students. Gai then quickly rearranged his and Kakashi's pack onto his front, before catching the limp man on his back, hooking spandex-covered arms through Kakashi's knees.

"What?" Neji couldn't help but utter, his face shifting into one of disgust.

"That's kinda gross," Naruto commented, his voice sounding equally disgusted.

"Old dudes giving piggyback rides?" Sakura grumbled, "It's even worse than it sounds..."

"Yuck!" Tenten added for emphasis, scrunching her nose.

Lee, however, had an annoyingly familiar expression on his face.

"I see!" Lee gasped, round eyes widening, "You're training aren't you?"

Neji and Tenten exchanged a horrified glance.

_Don't get ideas, Lee, _Neji urged the boy mentally.

"It'll be faster this way!" Gai boomed, guffawing.

Tenten rolled her eyes expressively.

Gai suddenly bent down, and began to charge towards them, Kakashi dangling from his grasp.

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Gai screamed maniacally, "Move, move, move, move, move!"

The group immediately jumped away, as Gai raced past them, kicking up clouds of sand.

They all coughed for a few moments, before Sakura finally spoke up, sounding sick.

"Running only makes it worse," she muttered.

Lee, however, walked up to Neji, squatting in front of him.

"Neji?" he said meaningfully, and Neji's face twitched.

Tenten made a face beside him, and Neji wanted to air-palm Lee _hard._

"Oh, _hell _no!" Neji finally choked out, enraged at the proposition.

"Come on," Lee persisted, and Neji gave him the full force of an ice cold Byakugan glare.

Lee turned towards Tenten, who gasped, but Neji interjected angrily.

"Don't even think about it," he said firmly, and Lee looked desolate for a moment, before brightening up.

"Could I have your scroll then, Tenten? And your pack? You too, Neji, Sakura-chan, Naruto!"

This the shinobi complied with willingly, though Tenten seemed reluctant to give up her large scroll.

"I'll take care of it," Lee promised, shooting her a thumbs up and a wink, his teeth glinting in the scorching sun, as he hoisted Neji's own bag onto his back, along with the four others already there.

Tenten finally agreed, handing it over, and Lee placed it below Neji's pack.

"Be _careful,_" she warned, but Lee had already sped off, shrieking something about youth and competitions.

That left Sakura, Naruto, Tenten and Neji, the former of which were looking rather dazed.

"Don't worry," Tenten assured them, "That was quite normal behaviour."

"I see," Sakura nodded unsurely.

Tenten then turned to Neji.

"Well, we may as well..." she conceded, and Neji nodded.

"It's not like we have a choice," he grunted.

Tenten's eyes twinkled, and she smiled mischievously.

"C'mon, I'll race you!" she suggested.

"That's a great idea!" Naruto cut in, blue eyes shining, "Last one to the village buys me raaamen!" he sang, speeding off as well.

Sakura looked livid.

"Naruto, you baka!" she screeched, "No one is buying you anything! Get back here!"

She sped off after him, leaving only Neji and Tenten.

Neji reached out towards her, relieved to _finally _get a chance to be alone with her.

"Tenten," he began, but she just grinned at him, before scampering off as well.

"We can outrun them, right Neji?" she called over her shoulder, "Come on!"

Shaking his head, Neji allowed a small smile to grace his face as he regarded her diminishing figure.

_You're not getting away from me, Tenten, _he thought, pumping chakra to his legs.

And then he was off, his feet pounding on the sun-baked sand.

-X-

By the time they reached the village, panting and slowing down to catch their breaths (Tenten and Neji had, _of course, _overtaken Sakura and Naruto and sped through the Konoha gates seconds before), Gai and Lee had already reached.

Neji wasn't surprised to seem them engaged in some asinine nonsense.

"You came in third!" Gai was saying menacingly, and Lee winced, obviously shocked.

"Ah!" Lee yelled theatrically, "Wh-what?"

"Kakashi came in second because I was carrying him!" Gai boomed, spinning around to reveal an unconscious Kakashi, "Ahahahahaha! Your'e a lucky guy, Kakashi! No need to thank me!"

Lee then whipped out a notebook, scribbling furiously in it, as tears gushed down his face.

"Ooooooh!" he moaned, "Sensei just gave an important tip! I can feel it!"

Sakura, Naruto, and the two guards at the gate just looked on in utter astonishment.

"And as usual, I have no idea why they're in such an inappropriate mood," Neji snorted, shaking his head.

"But you kinda got into the race back to the village, didn't you?" Tenten teased.

"Don't be ridiculous," Neji scoffed, glaring at her before turning his head away.

Tenten giggled beside him, and he had to admit, she was correct.

With her around, he could enjoy almost any situation; somehow, her presence just made it all more bearable.

"Okay!" Gai said, suddenly snapping back to seriousness, "We're all here now, right? Let's hurry up and report to Tsunade-sama!"

"Um," Sakura hesitated before speaking up, sounding worried, "Gai-sensei..."

"Yes?" Gai asked.

"Kakashi-sensei – is..." Sakura gestured at the man, who was slumped across Gai's shoulders.

"Whoops!" Gai exclaimed, just noticing Kakashi's state of unconsciousness.

Neji and Tenten exchanged equally exasperated looks.

"Maybe we should take him to the hospital before we give our report," Gai decided.

_Damnit, _Neji cursed mentally.

He _really _wanted to get _over _with this mission so he and Tenten could finally – talk...

-X-

He finally managed to catch Tenten alone that evening, just an hour before the scheduled Team Dinner which Gai had insisted on.

It had taken an annoyingly long time – at the hospital (fortunately Tsunade was there so they could deliver their mission report without having to head to the Hokage Tower), then at the compound, meeting with Hiashi and Hinata and relaying the mission - he and Tenten had agreed to meet at their usual training ground.

It would be empty – and if anyone found them there, they could assume they were simply sparring.

Neji waited in silence for a few moments, watching the sun set, casting an orange glow on the trees in the forest.

He sensed her arrival since his Byakugan wasn't activated – by hearing her steady footfalls and her soft breathing.

Tenten was wearing a light blue Chinese top and white capris, and she smelt of something heavenly – like honey – and her brown bangs brushed her forehead, her hair damp and gloriously loose, spilling over her shoulders like a chocolate waterfall.

Neji found that he couldn't control himself, or his hormones.

With the speed and grace of a trained ninja, he was in front of her almost immediately, pinning her back to a nearby tree.

Tenten gasped, and Neji smirked, placing one hand on the target secured to the tree, right next to her head – and the other on her waist – encaging her with his body.

She hadn't expected it, but Neji didn't care, and dipped his head down so he could kiss her. His body nearly exploded with the pleasure of it – damn, he'd been longing to kiss her again – and his mouth moved almost frantically against hers, his hands moving to play with the damp curls of her unbound hair.

He cupped her neck, pulling her closer to him, as he deepened the kiss. Tenten looped her arms around his own neck, and kissed him back with equal fervour, until they both pulled away, gasping for breath.

"I – impatient, hm?" Tenten asked, her eyes sparkling.

Neji smiled at her, caressing her cheek with a finger.

"You have no idea," he admitted softly, his nose brushing hers.

"So – um – what now?" Tenten whispered, and though her question was vague, Neji understood.

He gulped, feeling uncharacteristically shy, as he pulled away from her.

"I care for you a lot, Tenten," Neji said in a low voice, his cheeks flaming.

Tenten blushed as well, beaming at him, and it gave him confidence.

"You've always – been my closest friend and teammate," Neji went on, "But – if I may ask – I would like to – court you..." he trailed off.

"Neji!" Tenten squealed, looking utterly delighted, her eyes shining.

"Would you be willing, Tenten?" Neji entreated, taking her hand between both of his.

From the expression on her face, he realised, he'd made the right decision in asking her.

"Oh, Neji," Tenten said breathlessly, as he ran his fingers over the skin of her hand, "You know I'd love to!"

Neji's heart skipped a beat, and seemed to inflate with happiness. He never remembered feeling this happy in his _life. _

"Excellent," Neji murmured, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing it.

For some reason, this action made Tenten go starry-eyed, and Neji pulled her to his chest.

"What about Gai and Lee?" Tenten asked, her breath tickling his neck, "Are we telling them?"

Neji rested his hands on her lower back, her lips brushing her ear.

"Do you want to?" he asked.

"I – don't want to lie to them," Tenten admitted, "But I don't feel up to it just yet, if you get what I mean. They'll be pretty – overwhelming once they find out – and I don't think I can deal with that yet! I mean – it's already – overwhelming – being with _you _Neji..."

Neji felt a pleasant leaping sensation in his stomach at this admission, and smiled, lifting her chin so that he could meet her lips again in a tender kiss.

"Later then," he agreed, gazing into her warm cinnamon eyes after pulling away.

"Later," Tenten nodded, "We'll have to keep it a secret then, at least for a while..."

"Hn," Neji shrugged, not particularly caring anymore.

He just wanted to kiss her again.

And that's exactly what he did.

-X-

**~*Omake*~**

-X-

"Hello viewers, and welcome to Naruto Uzumaki's Swirl Radio!" a peppy, blue-eyed blonde shinobi announced, beaming.

"Today, dickless and I will be answering some letters sent by fans," a pale, dark-haired boy next to him continued with fake cheer.

"Sai!" Naruto growled, twitching, "You take that back!"

"Anyways," Sai went on, ignoring Naruto's wrath, "I'm going to read out the first question."

He waved a white envelope which Naruto immediately snatched.

"Hey!" Naruto snapped, "I'm the main character, dattebayo! Stop stealing my thunder!"

"I cannot steal your 'thunder' Naruto-kun," Sai said, glancing at Naruto's crotch and completely misinterpreting the idiom, "As you have none."

"Grr," Naruto growled, "Just shut up! Anyways, I'm gonna read the first letter!"

He ripped a piece of blue paper out of the envelope, and proceeded to read out the contents.

"Dear Neji, it says," Naruto read, "Are you in a relationship with – hey! Why is it addressed to Nej?"

Naruto was suddenly indignant.

"Obviously as he's more popular than you, dickless," Sai replied.

"B-b-but!" Naruto flailed madly, "I'm the main character! What gives, guys! I mean, I'm the one who beat sense into him!"

"Just answer the question," Sai said tonelessly.

"Well how would I know!" Naruto protested, "I don't know about Neji's – relationships!"

"I suppose they mean a romantic relationship," Sai mused, "In which case I would assume the answer is the bun-haired kunoichi with weapon fetishes on his team-"

"Tenten?" Naruto asked incredulously, "Why would you think Neji likes Tenten? I mean, they're friends and all, but how would you know?"

"Well," Sai said wisely, whipping out a bright pink book, "In this book it says that if a man is in love with a woman he will spend all of his time with her. He will try to woo her by taking her on dates which cater to her interest. He will act in a manner that she appreciates-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Naruto cut him off, waving his hands wildly, "I know they spend all their time together – but that could be because they're just teammates!"

"Well they spend time _alone,_" Sai pointed out, "Without that hyperactive bushy-browed friend of theirs."

"But dates? Come _on_! Neji's never taken _any _girl on a date!"

"I believe he has," Sai said solemnly, "All those times they go alone to the forest-"

"That's for sparring practice, Sai!" Naruto yelled, "They're sparring partners! Geez..."

"But the book says that the dates should cater to her interest. Tenten is a kunoichi who likes sparring with weapons. Hence, Neji takes her for one-on-one sparring practices. It's the ideal date," Sai argued calmly, "Not to mention, after rescuing her from Kisame's water prison he caught her in his arms lovingly, and held on for quite a while. I'd say he was groping her..."

"You're a pervert," Naruto grumbled, "But I suppose you're right. Those two are always together – but what the hell, dattebayo! How could that frigid, icy Hyuuga get a girlfriend before me! This is injustice!"

"Maybe it's because you lack certain vital masculine features," Sai suggested helpfully.

"Noooo!" Naruto cried, tears streaming down his face, "That's not it! Why? Why can't I get a girl!"

"Or maybe it's because you're so obsessed with Sasuke-kun that the girls have decided that you are in love with him, and therefore gay," Sai concluded.

"What? NO!" Naruto screeched, blanching, "No no no! Don't say that! _Don't say that! _Ugh! Just you wait Neji – I'll get a girlfriend one day! If Kishimoto would just – aaaargh!"

-X-

_Author's Note – Meh. Done. Couldn't think of an omake, sorry =P_

_Anyways, hope you enjoyed, and please review._

_Practically all the manga NejiTen is over... they barely make appearances from now on, so I'm not sure what to write since I don't want to divert from canon too much... maybe I'll wait a few chapters... but in the meanwhile, you guys could read my NejiTen Oneshot Collection =3 (insert shameless self-promotion)_

_Don't worry, this isn't over, though I can't promise another update soon. I have university applications and tons of work – and there's no Neji or Tenten in the manga, really, so I'll have to wait... but in the meanwhile, review, please!_

_And a special thanks to my reviewers for the last chapter – irukandji, DarkAnonymous324, MuSiCxcDj, Midnight Insomniac, Fake Bliss, Faraway Dawn, ninjapirate, Dali-chan510, Chibi-Tenshi Sama, ayumwu, Monkeyheart, BlueWolfAngel2, Inner Demons and nakimina_

_Really appreciated your kind words =D Thanks a ton!_

_And the rest of you, please review... if it's not asking for to much I'd like to hit 100 reviews for this fic... please... =3 _

_Much fanfic love,_

_HQ_


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